AoT: Black Skies
by BluePhoenix34
Summary: In a world were giant humanoids rule the food chain, humanity struggles for survival after Wall Maria is breached. After her home falling and death of her brother, Gianne Starken and her friends join the military to avenge their loved ones. A story of sacrifice, adventure, honor, and love, Gianne learns that her desire to defeat the Titans will change her view on the world forever.
1. A Hundred Years Undisturbed

**Author's Note-First Chapter everyone! Please enjoy and comment at the end. You support motivates me!**

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy! **

-:-:-:-

**Prologue:**

They were both powerless with little defense. Their only gas tank was close to running out, they were only four blades left, and the horses have galloped off. Wandering around the wild area they were in, the fear of a roaming Titan popping out was making Hared anxious.

"Kota-sempai, do you know where we are?" Hared asked his superior hesitantly.

The tall man with bronze hair and hard brown eyes looked back with no hint of life. Hared feared that this elite soldier was beginning to lose hope. They were separated from the elite Survey Corps a while ago, but the forest they were traveling through felt like it had no ending. The sky was beginning to turn dark as well, adding to the suspense. Hared hoped his superior would find a way out of this forest soon. He had faith in one of humanity's best soldiers.

"No, I honestly don't," Kota replied. "But I'm positive the Survey Corps went back to the walls. How long has it been?"

"Since we were separated from that ambush? Two hours." Hared said. The memory of the Titans replayed in his mind. Some of his friends were eaten, and they were excited about their first mission. Hared felt ashamed to still be alive, he should have helped.

"There were many deaths, I remember..." he muttered.

"We shouldn't focus on that." Kota interrupted.

"But there were!"

Kota stopped in his tracks and looked sternly back at the new recruit. Hared was only sixteen, still learning the ways of killing Titans. He feared nothing and was willing to do anything, one of the many reasons why he joined the Survey Corps. Except that glare the soldier shot made his legs quiver. He never meant to make his superior angry.

"Do you fear death Hared?" Kota asked.

"N-No sir, but-"

"Well you should. Fear makes you stronger and more aware. If you're just welcoming it, then maybe the Survey Corps isn't for someone like you." He spat with a hard look. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Hared cried while forcing a salute, his voice cracked like a young boy. His right fist over his heart while the left was position tightly around is back. "I don't want to die. I have family back home. My younger sister is waiting for me."

"As well as mine." Kota muttered sullenly. He looked away and walked forward down the road. His green clock sweep to the side, the Wings of Freedom symbol was standing out of the solid color. The young soldier admired that sight greatly.

Hared took this opportunity to have a conversation with this superior. He wanted to distract himself from any negative thoughts.

"You have a sister too Kota-sir?"

"Aye."

"She must look up to you!"

"She does."

"Does she look like you as well? I'm sure she's very beautiful."

"Hared." said Kota.

"Yes sir?"

He didn't look back at the new soldier, but from his low voice, Hared learned he angered his superior. "Enough."

"Okay..."

Hared didn't understand what he did wrong. Was asking questions about Kota Starken's sister a crime? He heard humors from the other soldiers that his sister was really adopted, which explained why they didn't look the same. Others predicted that she was his cousin who lived with him. However, Kota never seemed to finish those rumors with a straight answer. Maybe it's because he didn't care for pesky lies as people suspected him to be. Or maybe those humors were true. Though, Hared shouldn't be focusing on Kota Starken's personal life. His own life was at risk right now.

The two walked through the forest in silence, their muscles tensing whenever a sound around them was heard. Hared followed Kota rather closely. As a young child, he felt much safer alongside the experienced soldier.

Kota huffed with annoyance. Hared feared it was his fault for his noticeable closeness, but no. It was the weather that bothered him greatly. "Why is it so goddamn cold?"

It was, Hared noticed. However, they were heading towards the end of the summer season; weather like this shouldn't be happening. The air was thin with a raw feeling, but his cloak protected his upper body from the icy chill. Kota than went to an abrupt halt, causing an unaware young boy to bump into his back. Kota didn't seem to care, making Hared look up at him apprehensively.

"What is it?" he questioned, expecting Titans to come forth from the trees.

Kota slightly turned his head to the right and hissed at him, "Quiet, something is watching us."

Hared was puzzled, he did not expect a stalker in the forest. If there was an enemy among them, fighting it off would be impossible. Kota wasn't able to use his 3D maneuver gears without the good amount of gas needed. But the soldier seemed to have another idea.

"Give me your blades." He ordered.

Hared felt overly anxious with the sudden order, something _was_ wrong. "But why–?"

"Now!"

Without another question, Hared willingly handed over his sharp blades, making his superior have four in total. The two blades were sheathed into the metallic rectangular scabbard while the other two were clipped on and drawn out by the swords grips. Kota stood tall and scanned the area suspiciously. In Hared's eyes, he envied this awesome soldier. The thought of himself acting like this in a few years gave him high hopes.

"Hared, go climb that tree over there." Kota gestured to the large pine tree that stood behind him. "That's an order."

Hared turned away, wordless. The thought of danger made the young boy choke on his own breath. A sharp wind cut through him. As he climbed the dark trunk, the chilly air popped goose-bumps from his flesh and numbed his fingers. Soon, he was lost among the branches and leaves. The moonlight helped him spot Kota, who was also up in the tree in front of his. He was much higher and cautiously viewing the area with his swords tightly beside his body. Then, Hared held his breath when a Titan stomped out of the trees.

The monster was a six meter class with short hair and bugged out eyes. The head was gigantic, unfitting with its slender body. The mouth was wide and large, scaring Hared away. He wrapped his arms around the trunk tightly, scraping his cheek against the itchy bark. The sweet scent of wood and leaves filled his nostrils. The smell was comforting and reminded him of home. If he died, at least he'll inhale the earth for the last time.

The Titan stopped right next to his tree. Even if he wasn't looking, Hared could feel those monstrous eyes searching for his quivering body. This was it. He was going to die. He was going to get swallowed. Hared said his last prayers. This was the end.

He heard Kota scream out and the screeching sound of the cable from the maneuver gear. The air was filled with two swords cutting into hard meat and a loud thump in just seconds.

Hared opened his eyes, but instantly caught movement from the corner. A black shape glided through the trees. He turned his head to see a shadow from afar, and then, it was gone. There was no other figure found.

The wind picked up, freezing Hared even more. Looking down, he spotted his superior on top of the Titan carcass as its skin vaporized. He tried to call out a warning, but a sudden gust choked him. The raw air dried his throat and mouth, making him unable to pronounce words. He heard Kota call out to him.

"Are you okay Hared? You can come down now. My god it's so fucking_ cold_!"

It really was; the night was freezing. Hared tighten his grip on the trunk and pulled his green cloak over his body more. Memories of his fireplace popped in his mind. He imagined a large, woolly blanket protecting him from the cold while he drank hot tea beside his sister. How he wished he was home again. The thought almost brought him to tears. In horror, he watched as a black figure emerged from the shadows.

It was tall, and muscular, with dark skin that seemed to change color. Here it was lavender, then a baby blue, and lastly white like snow. Its limbs were thick with meat and covered with petal shaped scales that shimmered beautifully. Hared was puzzled, was this an aberrant class? He's never seen a Titan like that before.

Hared heard Kota growl at the monster. "I knew I sensed another one. Prepare to die," he said.

Kota took both his swords and lifted them up. Hared knew that it was useless to kill it with the 3D maneuver gear, it wasn't tall enough. His superior was able to slay on land. He watched carefully at the scene.

The Titan slid forward on silent feet. Its massive hands were brought up in defense, like how a human would prepare for a spare. Hared saw its eyes, they were violet, bright and glowing in the dark. The eyes landed on the two bladed swords that threatened it. This wasn't normal Titan behavior. What was going on?

Kota sprung forward to attack the arms and sliced the air until it met contact with the callous skin. The connection gave off a pierce hissing sound. The swords shattered in shards. The soldier fell back a couple steps, shivering from the unforeseen event.

"What! My blades won't cut?" he unclipped the now broken blades and drew two new ones. His last ones. "I don't care!" he cried and lunged forward again, both blades up in attempted to feed on the Titan's skin. Hared heard him loud a clear, "For humanity!"

Both blades met the Titan again, this time, with more force pushed in. Hared prayed he would win. He prayed to God himself that the swords would make the Titan fall. But the blades just sung out a loud echo, like the screeching sound of an animal suffering. Hared covered his ears to block the scratching noise out and watched the blades break apart into small pieces again.

The shards flew into Kota's revealing skin, causing blood to well out and stain his clothing. The superior cried out in agony and held down his wounds, kneeling down before the abnormal Titan. The dark monster stood over the fallen soldier and watched him patiently, silently, and expressionless. Hared hugged his tree tighter and felt the icy winds pick up each minute. He was going to die from hypothermia. Kota was going to die from... from... this beast!

Kota was still on the ground cradling his bloody arm and sobbing from his failure. The shards poked out of his skin, making him unable to move his arms around as much. He also had two sharp points stuck in his face, coating his entire cheeks and nose with blood and tears. Hared would've call out to him, would've aided him, would've saved him, but he was silent with shock. The dark Titan reached out its claw-like hand and wrapped its fingers around his throat. As if he was only a feather, the monster lifted him from where he knelt and brought him closer to its squashed face. Kota gagged and choked, squirming around to try and escape, but nothing work. He was trapped.

Hared wanted to look away from the scene, he expect the Titan to devour Kota. Before he did, something extraordinary happened. Its razor sharp nails dug into the soft skin hard, causing red to well out between its fingers. Kota's screams were mute while his face faded to a purple color, and his eyes were puffy with tears.

The Titan wasn't going to eat him! It was going to kill him another way!

Hared felt a great weight of guilt drop down on him when his superior stopped fighting and went completely still. Kota was dead. Hared closed his eyes. From beneath, the deviant Titan hissed to himself; amused. The sound was sharp and venomous, reminding Hared of a snake.

When he found enough courage to look back, a long time had gone by, and the area below was empty.

Hared stayed put for a while, fearing that the Titan will come again. The raw winds stopped, turning the air back to its normal summer breeze. When Hared was finally warm and felt his legs begin to fall numb, he finally climbed down.

He ran over to his fallen superior and stared at his red face. His brown ashen eyes were open, his neck mutilated, and his clothes washed with blood. From his view, Hared thought Kota looked much younger. Fear and confusion were written over his eyes, like a new recruit when he goes outside the walls.

Hared knew the fault was his, and that guilt will be chained to his ankle for the rest of his life. How will he get home now? What if he didn't?

The steel shards rested a few feet away. The longest one out of them all was shattered on both ends, like pointed claws. Hared knelt down to pick it up. It was smooth and cold under his skin, like ice.

Hared stood up.

Kota looked down on him.

The body was alive!

Kota's eyes, however, were not the same. Once a warm brown has now faded into an inhuman violet. Hared stumbled a few steps away from his superior, his body shaking with utter fear. The pale fingers that were caked with maroon colored blood, had wrapped its way around the young recruit's throat. The grip tightened, causing the nails and fingers to drive into the skin, piecing into Hared's throat with ease. Something warm welled out and eyes began to droop lazily.

All Hared could remember was his superiors blood turning darker each second and his skin turning white. His skin icy cold.

-:-:-:-:-

**Chapter One: A Hundred Years Undisturbed **

The bushes thrashed back and forth.

A small figure ran through the forest trying to escape the gigantic dark silhouette following her trail. The girl was panting heavily and her body ached with exhaustion but at the same time, she was determined to lose her predator as best as she could. All she had to do was run. That was the only thing she was able to focus on.

_Run. Run as fast as you can._ Her mind ordered her.

Hurdling over fallen trees and ducking under branches, she continued to get away from the blood-thirsty hunter. The monstrous creature was playing with her though. He knew he could just reach out and grab her body with his enormous hand, but he didn't. He wanted to see how far she went before she gave up. So far, he was impressed.

But something was wrong when the girl accelerated. The presence of another individual seemed to vanish out of thin air. The sound of feet pounding the ground aggressively just went silent. The creature was gone?

"But how…?"

The girl was dumbfounded about the disappearance, but relieved it was finally over. Except, she couldn't stop running, something urged her to keep moving onward. Being aware is the only way you'll survive.

_Run. Run as fast as you can._

Those same words echoed in her brain. The world seemed to be going faster in her eyes, as if the forest was nothing but a blur. Her eyes squinted from the rushing air stinging them dry. Her adrenaline rose, making her run faster than before. The feeling of trepidation was the only thing that drove her on.

_Run. Run as fast as you can._

Her eyes perked when banging sounds faintly reached her. From what she heard, the creature was not that far behind.

It was still here. The girl could sense it's presence from afar. It hid itself by blending in with the trees, stalking her every movement and patiently waiting to attack. Her nose twitched at the smell of its powerful odor that traveled to her nostrils. The scent was disgusting, like sweat and burning skin combined together. She needed to run faster. Stretching her legs out in long strides she spotted a light up ahead.

Freedom.

The girl chased after it like a predator after its prey. Her face turned red from little breathing, almost forgetting how to even do it. Her bare feet were covered with blisters and cuts, but they kept enduring the pain. She was almost there. The light was a few more yards ahead. The giant reached out to take its first grasp, but missed when the girl ducked under the thumb. The attempt made her sprint faster. She could hear each of her heart beats, like the sound of thundering drums. It hurt her chest greatly.

At last, she broke out of the forest to be greeted by a cliff up ahead. She kept running.

_Run. Run as fast as you can._

She shook her head.

_The run is over now,_ she thought, _now it's time to jump. It's time to escape._

Before the giant could touch her again, the girl felt the edge under her exposed feet and leaped over, diving into a great abyss of darkness.

-:-:-:-

Breaking her eyes open, Gianne was blinded by a beam of sunlight. She squinted at the glare that peaked through the leaves of the tree she was on. Rubbing the sand out of her view, she turned to the dark haired girl sitting next to her, Sereak.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Just an hour…" She trailed, without looking up from the book she was reading. "Couldn't sleep last night?"

Gianne placed her hands behind her head to make her position more comfortable. "I guess not if I'm this tired. What book are you reading?"

"Something you wouldn't be interested in."

"That's not true!"

"It's the history of animals."

"Never mind…" Gianne said with defeat. The two stayed silent for a while, both paying attention to their own interests. Sereak read while Gianne listened to the sound of the winds flowing by. This was their normal relationship together; simple.

Whenever Gianne's brother, Kota, would go on his scouting trips with the Survey Corps, she would be kept under the care of the Poljor family until he returned. This started a year ago when Sereak and her parents moved to the Shiganshina District. They lived in the mountains their whole life, secluded from everyone else and minding their own business. They were practically neighbors to the wild. Except, Sereak's father had to move to the city after his superiors promoted him to wall duty. He took his family with him, but Sereak was entirely depressed about the whole move. Then she met Gianne Starken and that misery was soon sucked right out of her.

After they became friends, people would often mistake them for sisters. Gianne thought that was completely absurd, the two were complete opposites. Personality and appearance wise. Even there way of dressing was different from one another. Sereak would dress in shirts and long skirts while Gianne would wear oversize shirts and leggings. Some women thought she was a homeless beggar who couldn't afford clothes. Gianne took that as an insult and explained defensively how it was better to wear. Sereak had to forcefully drag her away before she made a scene. Yes, they were very different.

Gianne looked at the leather beaded bracelet around her left wrist. Another thing that made her so different from Sereak was that bracelet. It was old and worn, but never broke. The leather was dark brown while the beads were all diverse colors. Gold, silver, black, and red, the colors added to their great mystery. She could never recall how she obtained it, but Gianne would feel very naked if it was ever off. So far, it stayed around her wrist practically her whole life.

After a few minutes, Gianne decided to crack the silence.

"I had a dream."

"About?" Sereak questioned. Her nose was still in the pages. "Was it the same one from two nights ago, when you turned into a bird or something to that effect?"

"No," Gianne explained. "This time, I was running through a forest and a Titan was chasing me. I thought I was a goner when it reached its hand out to grab my body, but I always seemed to dodge it somehow. Then, there was a cliff and I jumped off. All I remember was falling into a huge abyss."

Sereak finally turned her attention to the red haired girl, eyeing her suspiciously. "Do you even know what an abyss is?"

"Of course I do! I'm not an idiot!" she said in her defensive tone.

"I never said you were an idiot, but sometimes you'll say things you don't even know… idiot." Sereak muttered loudly, quickly turning back to her book.

Gianne's face lite a scarlet color over her cheeks as she restrained her anger. That was something she was well known for; her temper. Gianne was one of those people who would take things too personally and become extremely reckless. It took Sereak a while to eventually get used to her hardheaded friend, but there were other reasons why she stuck by her side.

Wanting to get away from her dark haired companion, Gianne hoisted herself up from the position she was in and climbed on the branches. She pulled her body forward until she was thirty feet above ground level and ten feet above Sereak. Grinning wildly, she poked her head through the clutter of leaves that were blocking her view and caught sight of Wall Maria.

The fifty meter wall reached sky high, shielding the residents of Shiganshina from the outside world. Gianne despised that sight. The enormous divider stretched into a circular shape until it connected to the main wall. This stone barrier would protect the humans who were inside, but isolate them from the great unknown.

Gianne had the desire to go over them one day, just like her brother and the Survey Corps. Maybe even go further than they normally do. Maybe become the first person to discover a new landscape or an unnatural finding. From some of the fiction stories Sereak as read to her, she would love to travel through the land of eternal winter or swim across the vast salt lake. They would find a new and safer haven, far better than the one they lived in now. Without the walls separation, and a crummy government that created social classes. But most importantly, free from giant human slayers that won't leave their civilization alone.

Everyone would live a peaceful life. Everyone wouldn't have to fight for survival. Though, a dream like that will have to be put aside.

Apart from her desperation, Gianne also loved the feel of being high above the ground. She enjoyed the gusts of cool air whipping against her skin and the sight of her city looking exceedingly small. Ever since she was brought to the earth, Gianne would climb up tall structures in order to stay off of it. She refused to come down one time, saying that the air wasn't fresh to breathe in at the bottom. Her brother grounded her once when she stole his 3D Maneuver Gear to fly through the city. She was also punched in the face by Sereak after abruptly jumping on her back and yelling at her to carry her home, explaining that the pollution was making her hallucinate. Getting her distracted was the only way to prevent her from climbing.

Yes, Gianne loved being above ground level; it was quiet disturbing to some of the town folks. Some say Sereak and their other companion, Gage Butler, became friends with her out of pity. That was not true, however. There was another reason that they stayed with her. Something a little deeper than friendship or sibling bonds, but neither of them could actually explain it. Just then, Gianne spotted a figure running up to their tree. The edge of her lips curled up when she heard his voice.

"Hey you two!" a young brunette boy cried out to them. When he was close enough, Gianne leaped from the branch she was standing on to a much thick and sturdier one. She gripped on to a small branch right above her head to keep her body steady. The boys beautiful aquamarine eyes caught sight of her.

"Hey Gage!" she greeted.

"Hi…" Sereak said without looking up. Gage didn't seem offended by that. Instead, he eyed the tree the two girls were on.

"Have you guys been up there all day?"

"Basically…" Sereak answered.

"Well come down already!"

"No!" Gianne exclaimed. "I'm having a fun time watching the sunset up here. And you know how much I hate being on the ground."

"Please don't remind me…" Gage sighed annoyingly. "But my mom just made some berry cinnamon bread and she wanted you both to try it."

Gage's family owns a bakery down town, which would explain most of his burnt scarring coving his arms. He was very strong and built for a boy his age making people mistaken him for being older. His mother would make the most delectable bread ever, and she would always manage to sneak a loaf for Gage and his friends. Gianne was a huge fan of her baking. Just hearing his words made her eyes widen to the size of dish plates, and her stomach whine from emptiness.

"B-Bread…" she muttered, her voice exposing starvation. "Of course we'll try some, right Sereak?"

"You can go. I'm in the middle of– Hey!" she yelled out in astonishment. Gianne swiftly hopped off her branch in order to get close to Sereak. Then without warning, the red-head heaved the girl up from where she was sitting in order to lift up her petite body. Her middle waist made contact with Gianne's shoulder, torso upside down. Before Sereak could react, her friend jumped from the spot they were on and flew down twenty feet in the air. No scream escape Sereak's throat, her lungs tighten with fear. Her green eyes snapped shut as she waited for a dangerous impact. After Gianne landed on her feet, her knees bent in order to keep a well-balanced posture, and then she straightened them out. She looked up to witness Gage's staggered expression.

"H-How did you… why aren't you…?" he said, stammering nervously.

"Idiot!" Sereak swung a hard punch on Gianne's back before she was put down, though it didn't exactly hurt the odd girl that much. Sereak's dark brows came together and her green eyes glowed with rage. Expected, one of her sharp fangs bear out, but Gianne didn't care. "I've told you a _million_ times to not do that with me. You know how much I hate it!"

Gianne shrugged, making her friend's face get darker. "I want you to come with us. You don't need to sit on that tree and be a loner. That's so boring."

"You don't make decisions for me!"

"Uh, yeah I do." Gianne gave her a wide grin. Before Sereak could attempt to punch her again, Gianne grabbed her wristed and forcefully dragged her towards Gage. "Come on, let's go!"

"But how did you do that? Why aren't your ankles broken?!" Gage cried.

"I'm indestructible." she said, giving him a quick wink.

-:-:-:-:-

After that abnormal scene, the kids ran down the hill they were on and made their way back to town. The town's people were scattered in all directions, dealing with their own needs and problems. The sun was still setting behind the wall, turning the sky into warm diverse colors. Gianne took notice of the beauty while the three walked through the town.

Gage would sometimes watch specific individuals with curiosity to see what they were doing. It was rather fun at points, but he also felt terrible for eavesdropping when it was none of his concern. Sereak was never quite friendly with others, which explains why she had minimal friends. Though, at first glance, one would not want to engage a conversation with her since her normal look pushed everyone away. Her crossed mask was permanently sowed to her face ever since she was born. Not once has it changed since. Even Gianne couldn't recall catching a gleeful look. She joked to her, saying that the day Sereak looked happy was the day the world would end.

"Oi! What time is dinner again?" Gianne asked.

"In a half an hour." Sereak said.

"Is it bad to eat the bread now before dinner?"

"Only if you take little bits and pieces of it. The bread won't be that filling." Gage suggested.

"Yeah, but I would feel real bad if I only ate half of Mrs. Poljor's dinner. You know I don't like to waste food."

"Sneak it out then and give it to Black Bear." Sereak's eyes began to light up. Gianne gave her a look.

"Black– who?"

"You know Black Bear, the large dog that's always coming to our home and begging for food. You helped me smuggle some of that meat in order to feed him."

"That dog is still coming to your house?!"

"Of course…"

"You and your animals…" Gianne trailed, and then turned back to Gage. "Are we almost at your bakery?"

"Yeah, it's just a couple more houses–" he was cut off by some loud cackling.

The three halted and turned towards the source. Gianne's golden eyes instantly flared when she saw two members of the Garrisons in an alley, lazing around while they filled their bodies with poisonous drinks and sucked in smoke from their cigarettes. The kids knew those two men, but couldn't exactly remember their names. Gianne decided to recognize the tall bushy eyebrows one as Wet and the shorter hefty one as Smoke.

Once, Wet and Smoke were immensely drunk and decided to interrupt Gianne and her friends when they were having lunch together. It wasn't anything vulgar but their actions ticked Gianne off greatly. They both violated their personal space and even snuck some food away without the children's knowing. Gianne complained how they were horrible inspirations and predicated that they would die from alcohol poisoning. Wet only laughed it off and offered an angry Gage a beer. When he slapped it away and spilled the liquid on the concrete, Wet tried to punch him for his behavior but missed. That set Gianne off.

Tripping him and Smoke by her foot, she began beating on the two with her feet, hands, and a stick she found suddenly. It took both Sereak and Gage to pull the red-head off Wet as she repeatedly kicked his fallen body everywhere. Both men tried to stand and defend themselves, but Gianne would just push them right down again. Gage had to lock his arms under her armpits to drag her away from them before things got any messier. However, Gianne managed to dig her right heel into Smokes left eye before they left. The next day, the three saw the two again and they were unable to recall the physical abuse, but Smoke's left eye was swollen and black. Gianne felt proud to leave that mark there.

"Why would you do that?" she remembered Gage yelling at her. She's never seen him so upset before, those boiling emotion only occurred on rare times. Gage was a friendly guy, but when he was angry, he could literally bring the storm.

She fought back. "You did nothing when he tried to punch you, so I had to teach them a lesson. I had to get them both to back off."

"But violence isn't the answer Gianne. You could get into seriously trouble because of that. You're just lucky they forgot about what happened and didn't call for reinforcements to come and arrest you." Gage explained.

"Oh please, why would they arrest kids? I'm positive that jail is only for adults." she said.

"They can put children in the dungeons if need be. My dad told me that." Sereak spoke up from the side.

"You're not helping!"

"All I'm saying," Gage continued. "Is that your reaction to defend us was completely immature. I'm sure your brother, Kota, taught you better than that."

Gage will always remember that dangerous look she gave him in reply. The way her golden eyes blazed with uncontrolled fury and her head titling to add a choleric glare. It was worse than Sereak's normal appearance. Her brows came together; expressing her grimness and making some of her dark freckles disappear. That innocent, youthful look was now fading away to reveal a cold, threatening creature before Gage and Sereak. Even the fearless dark haired girl looked shaken by that new behavior.

"I was taught to never lie, respect others the way they would respect me, and to defend my family with my life." she said, her voice deep.

"W-We're not family though." Gage said, coughing with discomfort.

"No we're not, but that doesn't mean I won't try to protect you and Sereak from danger or drunk men. You two are pretty much my only friends and I don't want to lose that. It kills me to see you both hurt and upset. It kills me even more to see you both not sticking up for yourselves. I thought you were more courageous than that." she said.

"I tried to defend myself!" Gage objected, only to make Gianne shake her head disapprovingly.

"No, you were cowardly trying to hide back your rage because you were scared. Instead of reacting, you were overthinking your decisions which got you distracted. And when you're distracted, you wouldn't have time defend yourself from the next punch Wet swung at you."

"He tried to swing at me again?"

"Of course, but you didn't know because your head was in your own little world. So I stepped in and took your place. I fought your fight and won. Doesn't that make feel useless?" she questioned him.

"That's harsh Gianne." Sereak warned.

Gage took that time to think through what the girl just spat to him. He was thinking before acting, but only because he was trying to figure out the outcome of that event. If he fought back, he would be in serious trouble for assaulting a soldier. If he stepped back, the two soldiers would still attempt to beat him up and he couldn't be able to protect himself or his friends. It was like a tug a war game with his arms. Even if one solution won, he was still going to lose a limb. Then Gianne jumped in to save him and she fought those two easily when she tripped them. They were already intoxicated and uncooperative, so getting them both on the ground defenseless and confused was brilliant. What bugged Gage, however, was how she didn't think about it before. It was just common sense.

Now that he comprehended what she was trying to say, he glared down at the dirt feeling ashamed and pissed.

"I don't need your protection…" he said.

Gianne crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him. He was much taller than her and Sereak, but seeing him disappointed from their argument made her feel bigger and wiser than before.

"Prove that to me first, and then I'll stop doing it."

Sereak locked her eyes on Gianne sternly. "Don't"

"I wasn't going to do anything." she defended. Though, just the sight of Wet and Smoke taunted her to hit them repeatedly with a stick all over again. She wished they'd learn their lesson before.

The trio walked away, but Gage still caught his friend turning her head in that same direction. "Stop looking, you're only going to get angrier. That's what I do." he whispered.

"I'll stop if you carry me the rest of the way. The air and smoke mixed together is making me faint." she pleaded feeling suddenly light-headed. She tried to grip his strong shoulders to hoist her body up his back, but Gage pushed her away.

"For the last time, I'm not carrying you!"

Before Gianne could respond, the earth sudden shook. The impact caused everyone to rock around where they stood. Some fell to the ground while others were able to keep hold of their stance. A loud crack of lightning rang through the air, causing every soul to look up at the wall and a baffled red-head individual to holler in agony.

Gianne was suddenly hit with a terrible headache that pounded against her skull. Clenching the sides of her head, her whole vision began spinning in smeared spirals, causing her eyelids to snap shut before getting woozy. She fell to her knees and whimpered to the floor, silently begging her brain to stop.

Sereak knelt beside her with a worried look while Gage was distracted. "Gianne what's wrong? What happen?"

Gianne averted her face up and slowly opened her eyes. The spinning had finally stopped but the pain wouldn't swell down. "Head…ache…" she managed to mumbled out.

Sereak looked around for help, only to witness everyone, including Gage, looking towards something. She also spotted another trio of kids that looked familiar–possibly from around town. Looking in the same direction as everyone else, she felt her heart jump to her throat.

Gianne's brain finally managed to cool from the unforeseen head attack and sighed with relief. The torture just suddenly vanished which seemed very peculiar. Headaches don't do that. Now that it was over, Gianne too looked up towards the wall to see what the problem was. The girl immediately felt paralyzed.

An enormous red hand was placed at the top of the wall, gripping the stone tightly. Gianne held her breath, as did everyone else. Slowly emerging from the other side, a skinless human head–its appearance was fully muscle and tissue–peaked over. Its haunting eyes scanned the town with indifference, watching it's viewers like they were a herd of livestock. _This is not real. This is not happening,_ Gianne thought. People began to mutter frantically, but Gianne couldn't hear them. The whole world went silent to her. She couldn't even hear her heart beating. No other creature in the world could reach up to wall height. That was a Titan…

Without warning, another earthquake shook the city and the lower wall exploded. Chunks of stone and concrete hurled down from the impact and began destroying homes, buildings, and people. Gianne lost her balance and hit her head on ground. For a few seconds, all she saw were black spots surrounding her view. She cried in pain again from head butting the floor and was unable to focus on what was happening to the town. When her vision cleared, huge humanoid giants were seen from afar. After a hundred years of peace, the Titans were finally in. Death has welcomed itself into Shiganshina.

Screams were heard from all over. Loud booming sounds of steps came closer.

"The Titans are invading!"

"Run! Save yourself!"

"No! My baby!"

Gianne pushed herself up by her elbows and looked to around to discover the disappearance of both Sereak and Gage. She caught them running in opposite directions towards where they lived, yelling out to their families desperately. The people around her instantly ran away. The yells and cries made the Titans turn towards the sounds.

Gianne wasn't frightened or hopeless, she was utterly flummoxed.

She couldn't move. Both her friends abandoned her to save their loved ones, what was she supposed to do? Run to Sereak or Gage, who should she be with? Her brother was out on a scouting mission, miles away from the attack. He would not save her, she had to save herself. But how?

Looking towards her leather beaded bracelet, a memory from her dream sparked in her mind.

_Run. Run as fast as you can._

The earth began to shake again, but not as extreme like before. Gianne watched the tiny pebbles beside her bounce slightly, cueing her to gaze up and meet the monstrous, naked mammoth that was a couple meters away from her.

She was the only one left in the area she was in, and yet she didn't attempt to run away. She just gaped at it with amazement, admiring its appearance and its incredible height. This was the first time she's ever seen one. _So this is what my brother kills every day_, she thought to herself.

The giant was getting much closer as it towered over her tiny body with each step. When it finally halted up ahead of her, Gianne didn't stir. It was as if her feet were cemented to the ground. The giant looked down on her but he didn't seem hungry. No, instead he looked rather jovial. The wide grin it had on took up most of its face, making its eyes squint. Suddenly, a hand slowly reached forward aiming for Gianne's body, and she still didn't react. Her mind felt like liquid, unable to progress things fast.

_What's wrong with me_, she thought. _Why can't I move? Why am I so traumatized?_

_Run. Run as fast as you can._ Her mind ordered. It began to repeat. _Run. Run as fast as you can. Now! Go right now! Don't let them win!_

Win… No!

Before the Titan managed to grab her, Gianne swiftly fell forward on the ground and ducked under its giant thumb. The rough skin brushed against her body until it swung right up, unsuccessful. She only had a second to escape, and she was going to use it wisely. Before the Titan could figure out her sudden dodge, Gianne pushed herself up and ran away towards an alley. In a sprinting contest, she could easily outrun the other kids impressively with her strong legs. She felt so grateful that her small body held some muscles.

The alley was wide and exposing; any large hand could easily reach out and grab her. Gianne told herself to pay attention to anything like that happening. She felt more awake than she had all day and more scared than she had been her whole life. That fear was the only key to keep her alert.

Kota told her once that if there was ever a serious emergency happening in town, she should go to the boats. That will be the only transportation to take her out of Shiganshina and into the cities of Wall Rose. The only way to get there was to take go north on the main road. When she got there, the road was flooded with people running away.

Their shrieks filled Gianne's ears, but she had to stay calm. Being sane was the only way to keep you focused. The herd was thick and vast, making it hard for Gianne to see where she was going. _Just keep moving forward. Run as fast as you can!_ She had to trust herself. The boats were just up north. But what if she was going to the wrong way? What if the crowd was too filled with terror that their only instinct was to run in random directions?

_No, this is the right direction. I know it is. Stop doubting yourself! _

Gianne looked around as she ran to spot any sign of Sereak or Gage, but the crowd made that difficult. Everyone looked the same, appearance and expression wise. If they weren't here, where are they? Gianne hoped that they would be okay. She couldn't survive this attack alone.

Just then, a blonde kid next to her tripped forward and smashed his face on the rough ground. Gianne halted and watched as a limping old man knelt down next to him.

"Armin," the old man spoke sounding worried. "Armin, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." the boy Armin lifted his face to look at him. His nose was bleeding and a scrape was mark on his cheek. His blue eyes shined with tears. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" the man asked.

"For slowing you down." he sobbed. "For being afraid and hopeless and– Oh grandpa, it's really the end isn't it?!"

The old man was silent for a while. His straw hat covered his eyes making Gianne unable to read them. For a moment, Gianne felt completely hopeless too. Was this the end? Was she going to die or live?

_No, I have to live. Who will take care of Sereak and Gage if they're still alive? Who will my brother, Kota, live for when I'm gone? I'm the only family he has left. I _need_ to live. _

But before she could run ahead, a half a dozen Titans revealed themselves to the giant crowd. All at once, the mob panic with screams and ran faster. Gianne witnesses one Titan picking up two people at the same time. They were two women squirming in its grips, begging it to let them go. But it quickly devoured them both before they screamed for help.

Gianne watched as dark red river ran down the edge of its mouth to its chin, grinning happily from the meal. One by one, the Titans picked out the individuals like treats and popped them in their mouths. Yells filled the atmosphere and blood rained down. The boy Armin and his grandpa were struggling to move forward, making Gianne worry about the outcome. Armin looked like he was ready to cry as he helped his lipping grandpa. It was an awful sight to see, making Gianne's stomach twist in tight knots. She couldn't let them die, the weak didn't deserve that.

Without a second though, she ran by their side a pushed them both forward. They were both abashed by this sudden girl.

"Move faster or they'll catch you!" she ordered.

"B-But my grandpa is too hurt to run! His leg is twisted!" Armin objected.

"What's more important, your life or a crimpled leg?!" she demanded, trying to ignore the massacre that was happening around her. She noticed Armin looking around too and his face suddenly went pale. "Stop looking and go straight!"

"O-Okay!" he squeaked.

"Missy, look out!" the grandpa cried out hoarsely.

Gianne didn't take notice of the hand that reached towards her. Unable to react quickly, the gigantic fingers wrapped around her body tightly and lifted her from the earth.

"_Noooooooo!_" she yelled out. Armin tried to reach out, but his grandpa pulled him back. The two watched in horror as she flew up slowly. The blonde boy mouthed something to her as tears began streaming down his face. 'I'm sorry,' Gianne read.

The callous skin hand tighten its grip on her skinny torso, squeezing the air out of her lungs, but Gianne still managing to inhale feebly. The air she breathed in was clear and cool, but also smelled of metallic blood and burning wood. The Titan looked a little more closely at the girl, as if watching the her squirm was entertaining him. She managed to struggle upward and free her arms out, but that still wasn't enough.

Just like everyone else, she too began begging for her life.

"S-Stop…!" she coughed out. "Stop… Stop please…!"

The Titan pulled her up closer. It had large brown eyes, a long nose, thick curled eyelashes, short dark hair, and stony lips. It looked so human, and yet, so inhuman as well. Gianne forced herself not to cry. She would rather die fighting for her life than plead desperately. With her spirit rising, she aggressively began pounding her fist on the hard skin. Her hands soon turned red from soreness.

Just then, the lips began opening. The mouth was fully exposed, uncovering the human-like yellow teeth and the large meaty tongue. Gianne knew what was coming when she felt it pushing her straight in.

"Stop!" she screamed, putting more demand in it. "Don't eat me! I said_ stop_!" her body was getting closer to the teeth. "Stop!" her free torso was now in between the choppers. In few seconds, she will be done for. She had to keep fighting. "Stop Dammit! Stop!" the inside of its mouth had a terrible odor, but after the feast, her bloody scent would be mixed with it. "Stop! Stop!" the teeth came down and dug into both her abdomen and back. She could already feel the warm liquid escaping her body as a tingling sensation raced around her. She couldn't give up. She had to live. For Sereak, Gage, and Kota! She had to survive!

"_STOP!_"

Abruptly, the teeth grinding against her body became still. Gianne closed her eyes and prepared her body to get split, but something unforeseen happen. For the first thing in the history of man against Titan the teeth drew away. The Titan pulled the girl away from his mouth and looked at her again with its blank expression. Her upper body was soaked in warm blood. Her favorite shirt was now torn. Snapping her eyes open, Gianne looked at the Titan more closely.

What was going on? What wasn't it eating her?

An odd spark dropped down her spine. That sudden sensation somehow slapped her back to reality. The Titan wasn't going to eat her. He was listening to her!

Something new began to take control. Gianne couldn't even recall doing it.

"Drop me at once!" she commanded confidently.

The fingers began to loosen, exhaling became normal again. Her body slipped between the skin thanks to the wet blood and gravity went to work. Gianne was pulled to the ground. Landing on her feet and forcing herself not to tumble forward, the great amount of blood lose started making her unsteady. Her head spun in rapid rotations and the sickening feeling in her chest sprang up. Bending down, she hacked out the blood and vomit trapped within her throat. The mixed substances landed on the feet of the Titan she somehow forgot was still with her.

Looking up at the monster, terror overcame her mind again. The memory of what happened moments ago faded away. Without hesitating, Gianne held in her bleeding stomach and ran away, unsure if the Titan was following her or not.

Her running sent shocks of pain in her abdomen. The gash was too deep to hold in. Even her back was flowing with red liquid. Losing blood made her head light and her skin turn pale. Her breathing was feeble, making her eyes droop from exhaustion and her hearing slowly turning off. The world tipped to one side, then the next.

_I have to keep going. The boats are up north…_, she tried pushing herself.

More blood fell on the ground, and soon, so did her moist body.

_I can't…_

She lifted her hand to see the red blood coating it. The feeling was warm and it smelled weird, like a coin. Coins were golden, like her eyes. Her blood was red, like her hair. The world began to blur again. The buildings, home, and sky smeared all together. The voices of people from afar were faint. Lifting her wrist to see her bracelet one last time, she whispered herself a farewell.

This was the end.

Before she could fall asleep, she was pulled up. Her face was moving away from the ground when her body was lifted.

"A-Am I…" she choked, "Am I finally… flying?"

Her bleeding midsection made contact with something. Her torso bent over the object and then, she began to bounce. The air was cool and clear as she exhaled in. If death was coming, she wanted to get another breath of beautiful air before she left this world. A voice woke her up from fantasy.

"No, you're not flying. But snap out of it!" the voice sounded familiar and quite aggressive. "Don't die on me, I'll get you to the boats soon enough. _Smoke_ has your other two buddies by the way."

Wet.

Wet was saving her. She would have never expected to see him again, and Smoke has Sereak and Gage. The thought about seeing her friends again almost made her cry. She was going to the boats. She was going to live.

But before she could thank her savior, her body went immobile and the world shut off.

**-Phoenix**


	2. The After Math

***Author's Note-Next chapter guys! Thank you all for the comments last chapter, it was really motivating. Next chapter, all the OC's will get introduced. Well, except for Rikken, he comes later. Sorry buddy.:P**

**If you have any questions or comments, please review and support!**

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Two: The After Math**

Her room was destroyed. The kitchen her mother cooked in was demolished by two large feet. The roof that used to keep her and her family protected was now pushed to the ground. Her home was gone. Sereak still ran though.

A Titan with blonde hair was too distracted to notice the girl. The woman in his massive grip squirmed around to break free, which amused the humanoid monster. Sereak screamed out, in hopes to somehow help her.

"Mom!" she shrieked.

The woman locked her eyes on the dark haired young girl. Sereak noticed the waterfall of tears streaming down the sides of her face. She was scared. The sight made Sereak angry. She felt completely pathetic that she couldn't do anything. But she kept running.

"Mom!"

"Sereak!" her mother managed to yell back. "Run!"

"No!"

"Sereak, run _now_!" she began to cry harder when her body moved closer to the open mouth. There were only a few more seconds of her life. Sereak was too blind to notice. Her mother began saying her last words, taking them in with meaning. "Run! Find your father and run! Run and live! Run and survive! Run Sereak! Run–"

The Titan's teeth silenced her when she was bitten in half. Blood sprayed out. The Titan swallowed. She was gone.

"MOM NO!"

She was gone. Her mother, Teresa Poljor, had died at the hands of a Titan. She will never make Sereak meals again. She will never tuck her in to bed again. She will never hum her favorite song when she cleaned again. She will never play with her again. She will never see her again!

She had to run, Sereak knew that, but her emotions got the hold of her.

The Titan left without even noticing the girl, dropping the other half of her mother's corpse without care. Her green eyes caught the sight of the mutilated body before it hit the ground, and her heart wailed.

Sereak fell her knees and sobbed. The tears were coming out to fast, making her world blur. She had to move on, it was over now. Finding her father was the only goal she could think of. That made her determined and fearless. No more mourning for the dead, she had to react. But she couldn't see. The tears, smoke, and dust in her eyes clouded her vision. She tried rubbing them away, but it only moved the cover around. She needed water, but getting to it was going to be a challenge. Not being able to see was the worst thing ever. Sight was important, but she had other good senses. The animal within her took charge.

Scrambling up to her feet, she turned her ear left to hear the Titan walking away. Her non-dominated hand was placed on the floor when she crouched down, feeling for any movement nearby. The ground didn't stir, there were no Titans on her left side. Springing back up, she ran towards that direction and kept rubbing her eyes.

She could see a little better, but the far distance was still hard to picture out correctly. She ran farther up until she came to meet an intersection. All four paths went different ways, but which one lead to the north? That's where the boats were and the place where her father could be found. Tears abruptly slithered out her eyes, but not from depression, it was to clean out the dirt.

Sniffing the air, there was smoke coming from one direction. She followed the gassy smell and learned that it came from the path straight in front of her. Going up closer, she could hear mixed screams of various individuals. Men, women, barking dogs… children.

Sereak shook her head, she had to stay focused. Turning away from that path, she went to the middle of the intersection and looked right. The path lead to another side of the town, were more screams could be heard and free smoke from furious fires danced its way up to the sky. The smoke and frightened souls were going somewhere. The Great Beyond is what Sereak thought.

The only road that seemed safe was on her left. The path lead up hill, something Sereak didn't notice before. Going uphill meant taking the path to the main wall. The main wall will have the boats there and her father as well. Sereak had a vision of her father. His tall and lean body dressed in that same soldier uniform with a rose badge marking his place in the military. She was always indifferent about the Garrisons, protecting a wall that didn't need to be babysat and keeping the exterior residents at peace. Now, she needed him more than ever.

Their life was so peaceful when they lived up in the mountains. The forest was filled with wild animals Sereak wanted to meet. She would stay up all night to listen to the howls of wolves, the bears singing to one another, and the smaller creatures adding in as the choir. It was the music of the forest, her mother told her. It was a reminded to the world that the wild was still alive. She said it was the most precious thing to hear, and Sereak agreed completely.

She could almost hear the wailing sounds of wild dogs mixed with the clicking noises of squirrels and chipmunks. The song reminded her of home, her life, her love for animals. Her mother…

"Hey kid!" a sound was heard from behind.

Rotating her body around, she spotted a rather hefty man with stringy black hair and bouncy cheeks. He wore a Garrison suit, like her father, but it looked exceedingly ridiculous on him. When he got up to her, she spotted someone else with him. Going around his large body, the sight of Gage came to view.

"Gage!" she ran up to him and hugged him tightly. She squeezed his body hard, like she hadn't seen him in years. The thought of letting him go felt as if he was leaving her again. She couldn't stand to bear that. However, she trusted him, so she loosened her arms and looked towards his face.

His expression was blank.

Those aquamarine eyes were empty with no emotions found. He quivered under her touch, but didn't try to look at her. There was a splatter of blood painted over his pale face, worrying Sereak greatly.

"Where are you bleeding Gage?" Sereak asked softly.

"He won't talk." she looked up at the man again, and then it clicked. Smoke! That man was Smoke! He spoke again. "I've been trying to get some words out of him, but he doesn't seem to know how to speak."

"Where are you bleeding Gage?" Sereak repeated, looking straight at him and putting more demand in her words. He mumbled something softly. "What?"

"It's not mine." he cried out, finally looking at her with his dead eyes. "It's not mine. It's not mine. Blood. It's not mine. Blood!"

"Poor kid…" Smoke muttered sadly. "His family was crushed by a piece from the wall. The whole bakery was squashed, his parents were still inside. I found him holding a piece of someone's arm. That thing was bloody."

Sereak looked down at Gage's hands. They were coated with red. His parents are dead too. And now he's gone insane.

"It's not mine." he kept repeating. "Blood. Blood. Not mine. Not my blood. It's not mine."

Sereak felt her hand being grasped by a larger one. Smoke began guiding the two children forward. "Come on, we have to get to the boats. My partner, Norman, is already searching for your friend. What's her name… the wild red-head that gave me a black eye?"

Gianne.

Sereak felt like a terrible person. She forgot about her one true friend, and worst of all, left her alone. No, Gianne could defend herself from people, yes. From Titans, she wasn't exactly sure. Gianne was too stubborn to die though, so she had to be okay. And Wet was going to save her!

Except the only thing that got her worried was what Smoke just said.

"You remembered?" Sereak asked. She thought they were too drunk to even recall that day. The three of them were all wrong. Now she was in trouble.

"Of course, we both knew." he admitted. "But I didn't want to tell my comrades how I got my ass-handed by a little girl. So me and Norman kept quiet and tried to forget."

"You mean _Wet_." she said.

He shook his head, "Kids and their unamusing nicknames for people."

"Gianne came up with them."

"When you see her again, tell her to change it goddammit." he growled.

"Not mine. It's not mine. Not my blood."

-:-

The pier was completely filled. Men, women, and families tired pushing their way on to the boats, but the spaces on them both were quickly getting destroyed. The first boat left five minutes ago, and now, everyone expected to be saved by the last one. Sereak and Gage managed to get on by the help of Smoke. But not everyone could have that luxury.

Sereak looked over the edge to spot a certain red-headed girl, but the crowd made it impossible. Everyone was squashed together in one enormous whole, like cattle. Just seeing them all piled like that made Sereak think they were ringing a dinner bell for the Titans.

She looked back at Gage who was still horror-struck. He sat with his back against the building of the boat and his legs tucked into his chest. The dried blood on his face began to peel off, but it still scarred him deeply. That was his parent's blood, not his. Sereak wondered if she would turn out like him if she had her mother's blood coated on her face.

He kept muttering his same words.

"Not mine. It's not mine…"

Sereak looked back out and glared into the crowd again. Two kids were getting on this time. One was a boy with teal colored eyes who also looked horror-struck and the other was a pale girl with a red scarf around her neck. Sereak felt like she's seen them before, maybe around town once. The girl anxiously looked towards the boy, but he didn't even twitch under her eyes. He looked like he was already dead, but motion was still working well. The two of them got on and were instantly greeted by a blonde boy. Sereak soon then lost interest and turned back.

Her heart did a summersault.

Sereak watched carefully as that same man, Wet, and her father sprinted towards the docks. Wet was bloody on his left side as he carried a figure over his shoulders. The figures upper body was behind his back, preventing Sereak on learning who it was. But, seeing those moist leggings and oversized torn shirt gave it away immediately.

Her father's uniform was too covered in a red color, but it wasn't soaked like Wet's. They were both panting when they begged their fellow comrade to let the child on. Sereak heard extreme injury and jumped from shock. Leaning over the docks, she hollowed towards them.

"Dad!"

He didn't tense from her voice. He didn't hear her! Wet walked towards the boat while her father began turning away. She bent over and hollered louder, almost falling face first into the river.

"Dad! Dad!"

This time, he paused where he was and looked up. The crowd around him somehow vanished in Sereak's eyes. She was directly focusing on him. Her eyes locked onto his for what felt like the last time. Their bond they shared so deeply quivered under that one stare. Her natural furious face melted into a rather sorrowful expression as tears started to reveal on the corners of her eyes. Sereak was too cowardly to look away. She wanted to gaze upon him forever.

From behind, Sereak could hear a million mutters being said all at once. Something was gently put down a couple feet from where she stood, but she didn't look back. She heard Wet crying for a nurse or doctor, but no one volunteered. When he repeated himself again, someone from afar stood up and rushed towards him. It sounded like a woman, but Sereak didn't dare break the eye contact.

Her father mouthed something to her, Sereak could read it. He was saying; I love you. Then he did something with his right hand. He placed his middle and ring finger at the top of his thumb with only is index finger and pinky aiming straight up. He held it over his head in order for Sereak to see it and she chuckled, forcing the trapped tears to finally escape.

He made a hand puppet of a wolf. That was something he would do when she was younger. The silly little hand tricks somehow managed to make her smile, and right now, it did. Her cheeks felt weird when they were pushed up. It made her face feel fat. Smiling never came to her easily for some reason, but it did that moment.

She smiled and cried; two things she never expected to do in her life. It felt different from giving everyone a stern glare or frowning whenever something happened. She wanted to show her father her soft and carrying side before he left, because it would give him a reason to also try and survive through this day. To come back to his daughter in order to see her smile again, that would be his motivation.

Finally, they let go.

Her father went back to doing his duty while Sereak turned away to go to her wounded friends. Then, the boat began to move and the wild rampage from many confused citizens broke out. Sereak couldn't remember what happened out there, and she didn't want to know.

The crowd went hysterical. Their screams of terror rang in Sereaks ears. Some people on the boat covered their own ears to block it out. Many citizens on the land were begging the passengers to stop the boat, but their requests were ignored completely. A couple men jump to the wooden edge. Some made it while others fell to in the river. Sereak didn't know what to think of that.

The people just went wild, like frighten animals that are only seeking to survive. Sereak went back to the edge and watched the crowd with interest. Men began fist fighting, frantic women cried out to God, and small children were clueless as ever. Everyone wanted to live. No one wanted to die. It was just like the animal world. You try and make it through the disaster or you give up.

It was that simple.

-:-

Gage tried to remember his childhood, but he couldn't. Memories of his past were just erased from his mind. The days of him and his parents were impossible to recall. Because when he thought of his mother baking chocolate chip cookies, all he saw was that bloody arm detached from her body, lying in front of the crumbled bakery shop.

He held it. Gage wanted to feel her one more time. He placed her palm against his cheek, like how she did when he did something that pleased her. Everything he did pleased her though. When he baked his first bread the first time and burnt it, she just smiled and caressed his cheek. When he brought home a mud pie and accidently ruined their wooden table, she just laughed and rubbed her thumb on his cheekbone. Gage wanted to feel that warm touch one last time, but he couldn't. The arm was warm from the blood coated on the skin. The hand itself was icy cold. No sign of life was found. Gage was just pressing a cold, dead limb against his face. His mother was gone.

Now his friend was hurt badly, and he didn't even attempt to help Sereak out.

The people on the boat crowded around the scene where Wet, Sereak, and a nurse with medical supplies tended to an unconscious Gianne. Gage watched too. Just like the audience, he needed to see a miracle. There had to be some spark of hope after today. The sky was getting darker and the boat departed from the Shiganshina District twenty minutes ago. They were heading to the cities of Wall Rose, but what were they supposed to do there?

The nurse, who looked to be in her middle ages, finished stitching up Gianne's gash on her stomach. The wound was just above her bellybutton, and Gage began wondering where it even came from. As she and Wet cleaned the blood from her skin, Gage counted eight-four stitches sown on her. It would've been awfully painful if Gianne was awake during the medical care. He imagined her howling out in pain and fighting the nurse away, ordering her to never touch her with a needle again. It was a good thing she was knocked out. He didn't believe she was dead… yet.

The two adults than flipped her to get a good view of her back. There was a much deeper gash there, making a lot of people gasp with doubt.

"Do you have enough string for here?" Wet questioned the nurse sternly.

"Ugh, I don't…" she looked in her bag and pulled out a long cord to measure out the length. "The gash here is longer than the one on her stomach. I'm sure if I sow it carefully, then I'll be able to stitch together most of the cut. But it won't be perfect. She may need real medical attention when we get to Wall Rose."

"Just try as much as you can." Sereak said. Her glare present like usual.

The nurse looked rather frighten by her look. "Y-Yes of course…" and she got right to work.

Gianne loved to irritate Sereak, but in a sisterly way. Sereak would get angrier than she already was and attempt to fight back as much as she could. The two shared a rather simple relationship with each other, but right now, Gage witnessed how that relationship seemed much deeper than he realized. Sereak held on to her friend's deathly pale hand and muttered words of encouragement in her ear.

"Get up you idiot. Stop faking and wake up. I know you're fine, why are you being so dramatic about this…?"

Well, it wasn't the encouragement he expected, but it just proved that Sereak had faith in her friend's survival. It was almost like she was determined for Gianne to live. She did lose her mother, though, and losing her friend would just add to her misery.

What if she did die? How would Gage feel about that?

He only accepted her as a close friend, and nothing more. Well, he wasn't exactly sure about his feelings. But would he be distraught like Sereak or indifferent? Gianne was always there to save him when he was in trouble, so he always looked up to her. He wanted to have that fire that burned within her and that confidence that could take on the world. She was difficult to get used to, but he was patient enough to see more to her than just a wild, reckless girl who loves heights. She was _his_ hero, his inspiration. If she died, he would no longer have a reason to get stronger. He would just be a cowardly boy with muscles. But most of all, he would be losing a great friend.

_Don't die Gianne, please_. He begged, unconsciously gripping his knees.

So he just watched the procedure and listened to sounds of cannons booming from the other side of Wall Maria. Shiganshina was still terrorized by the Titans and the Garrisons were doing all they could to protect the gate. If the gate was breached, than it was all over.

While he was watching patiently, there was a rather large thunderous sound coming from Shiganshina. The sound got louder and louder, getting closer to the wall with each step. Was it a Titan? Do Titans run?

Then, the most unforeseen event occurred. Just like the wall before, the gate exploded! Wall Maria had been breached!

Gage stood up to get a better view of the sight. Standing in front of the enormous hole was a rather peculiar Titan with shiny skin. It was much taller and muscular than most of the Titans Gage had seen today, and the shiny skin looked more like metallic armor. That Titan was able to break through wall. Now it really had come to an end. After a hundred years of peace, the Titans were finally ready to demolish it again.

It's over.

Sereak and Wet looked back to finally spot the gigantic, extraordinary Titan. As well as the dozens of normal Titans that followed in its path. Sereak just looked away and closed her eyes tightly. Wet's bushy brows came together in a furious expression as he bowed his head in defeat. Gianne's stitching was finished and the paranoid nurse began wrapping were torso. The red-heads breathing was still feeble, but the sound of her inhaling and exhaling still gave Gage hope.

Gage heard the sound of whimpering and turned to his right. There, sat a boy his age with dark skin and long choppy black hair. His face was buried in his face while he sobbed, and he kept repeating mother over and over again. He lost his mother too, just like Gage and Sereak.

Just then, someone from his right stood up and walked towards the edge of the boat. It was another boy around his age with dark brown hair. Gage felt as if he's seen him before.

"I'll erase their existence from the world…" he muttered to himself. A girl with pale skin and jet black hair stood up in concern.

"Eren…?" she said.

Eren. Maybe Gage did know someone with that name. A blonde boy walked up to him, but he just shoved him away with his shoulder. Gage watched Eren closely as he slammed his hands on the edge and began to cry.

"I'm going to kill them all!" he screamed out. "Not a single one of them will be left! I'll kill them!"

Gage was abashed by this. He looked back towards the dark skinned boy and saw him staring at Eren as well. His golden-brown eyes looked rather mesmerized by him. He even caught Sereak sneaking a glance at the Eren boy, looking rather interested herself. Gage then sudden felt a pang of anger twisting in his stomach. The thought of his father and mother raced through his mind and how they died from that godly red Titan. The blood of his mother was still imprinted on his skin, pushing him to avenge his loved ones.

_Yes, kill them all. I want to kill them all as well…_

-:-

Gianne was stuck. The path she was taking led her to two different directions.

The first one followed directly to a cliff where the road ended. She knew if she chose that direction, than she would be able to do what she's always dreamed of doing. Sprout vast angel wings and fly away to many unfamiliar places. That was her dream after all, so why would she reject that open choice.

The second one led to the destroyed Shiganshina District. There, Titans roamed around the city searching for free victims and wild fire was spreading from home to home. One Titan, she saw, caught hold of a crying boy and ate him rather quickly. Gianne shivered under the sight.

There was no question about her choosing, so she followed the first path. Taking the left road, she walked ahead a couple feet before someone from the other side called out to her. The voice sounded like Sereaks!

"Gianne! Gianne come back!"

Come back? Why would she come back? There was a golden opportunity to travel the world and leave all her problems behind. No more Titans. No more of humanities silly laws. She would be free and above everyone else. Sereak would want this for her; she was a good friend like that. But the cries continued.

"Please Gianne, wake up and come back to me!"

"Listen to us Gianne!"

That was Gage's voice. Gage was with Sereak. So, did that mean they were both in the Shiganshina District with those roaming Titans? Oh no, what if they get killed?! Leaving her friends because she was selfish, Gianne wouldn't be able to live with that guilt.

"Wake up!"

"Gianne I know you're awake so open your eyes!"

Gianne looked back at the cliff that taunted her to dive off it. If she jumped, she would be safe and free. If she jumped, all her problems will be gone. She could fly away and not have to deal with the hell she lived in. That chance, however, needed to wait.

Without looking back, she raced out of the left path and sprinted to the right one. There, the Titans saw her coming and stuck out their hands, preparing themselves to grab anything. She was insane for choosing this path, but her friends needed her. And she couldn't ignore a cry for help.

"Wake up dammit!"

"Wake up!"

Blackness ate her clear vision away and then her eyes snapped open. In her view, Sereak and Gage looked down at her with reassurance on both their faces. Gianne just stared at them.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake." Gage said while squeezing her hand. "We were worried."

Sereak placed her palm over Gianne's head. The red-head felt comfortable with the warmth. "You're still pale, but not completely dead looking."

"How do you feel?" Gage asked, his hand still not leaving hers.

"What happened?" Gianne asked, slowly progressing what was going on. She rotated her view to the right and felt something crunch under her head. It scratched her scalp and smelled like hay. Where they in a barn?

"You got seriously hurt," Gage explained. "There's a gash above your stomach and on your back. Marlene stitched you up to stop the bleeding, and then when we got to Wall Rose, you were taken to real doctors. They said you were in a coma after so much blood loss. You were out for two weeks! They kept their patients in this barn, so you're not the only one here."

Gianne took her hand away from Gage's and lifted it up to her shirt. Digging it underneath the torn fabric, she felt strong string sown into her flesh. Grazing her fingers across the long stitch, nausea hit again and she hauled herself forward. Covering her mouth, she feebly stood up and wobbly ran to the barns exit. When the beam of sunlight hit her face, her upper body bent down and she started to gag.

Sereak and Gage ran by her side while she tried hacking out the acid and spit. Gianne's stomach felt dangerously empty.

"How come…" she wiped some spit away from her mouth, "How come I'm not dead? How did I last for two weeks without food or water?"

"Marlene would wet your lips everyday so you stayed hydrated. She said water was more important than food." Sereak said.

Gianne looked around the unfamiliar area she was in. There were people everywhere, too many in her opinion. The Garrison soldiers were handing out bread and supplies to anyone who needed it most, but their irritated expressions revealed all. They were running out of food because of the large amount. Gianne was confused.

"They're bringing in more survivors today." Gage told her. "I just hope no one got eaten."

"What happened?" Gianne asked.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned.

"Why are we here? What happened to Shiganshina? Where are your families?"

Sereak and Gage gave each other fret glances. _Something's wrong_, Gianne wondered. _Why are they looking like that?_ Then, Sereak's hard scowl shot to Gianne's face. "Don't be dense. Even the squirrels can recall what happened at Shiganshina."

"But I don't know what happened. Enlighten me." she begged.

"Wait, are you saying you don't remember?" Gage asked. A hint of disbelief shined in his aquamarine eyes.

"No, what happened?" she asked, furious at how they weren't giving her a straight answer.

"Gianne," Gage sounded very depressed when he spoke. "The Titans took over the Shiganshina District and the gate of Wall Maria was breached."

"W-What…?"

"The Titans took over, and now, one third of humanity is gone."

"But…"

"My family is dead and so are Sereak's. There is no more Shiganshina. Our home is gone."

-:-

The bread was stale but filling and the water was cool on her throat. Marlene told her to eat her bread slowly so her body can function again. After she left, the trio sat around in a circle to discuss what happened.

It took an hour to repeat the whole incident to Gianne. She took in each word carefully and began making a puzzle. Each event her friends revealed helped her recall what happened when she was alone. How she escaped that first Titan that tried to grab her, when she helped that Armin boy and his grandpa by pushing them forward, and how she was saved by Wet. Though, there was another thing missing but she couldn't remember it clearly. There was a Titan and a painful sensation running around her body, but that's all she could remember. She admitted her fuzzy memory when her friends questioned her about the injury.

"That's so weird. It's not a normal gash," Gage observed. "It almost looks like you were getting cut in half."

"Good thing I didn't…" Gianne rolled her eyes and finished her bread. She was still hungry. Somehow, that sudden hunger made her remember something important. She gulped her last chunk of bread and asked her friends. "Where's Kota?!"

"Kota…?" Sereak said.

Gianne pushed herself forward and gripped onto both the girl's arms. Taken by great surprised, Sereak was shook back and forth violently. "Yes where is he! Is he here? Is her still on his mission? Is he alive?!"

"Stop Gianne! Stop!" Gage tried ripping the two girls apart before Sereak's neck snapped. He knew Gianne would ask about her brother eventually, so he took this opportunity to tell her his good deed. "I sent a letter to the Survey Corps Commander, Erwin Smith, asking him about Kota. I sent it two days ago, so the messenger will be back possibly next week. I knew you would act like this." He cackled lightly.

Gianne let go of Sereak gazed at Gage. She was happy and so relieved that someone thought of her brother while she was in her coma. Right now, she wanted to kiss Gage for what he did, but that would instantly destroy their friendship. So instead, she pounced on his body and gave him a tight hug. Gage blushed madly at her affection.

"Thank you so much!" she cried in his ear. "You're the best person ever! When Kota comes back for me, I'll force him to adopt you!"

"Don't get your hopes up..." Sereak muttered to herself. Except, Gianne caught her remark.

Pulling herself away from Gage, she looked hard at Sereak. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she insisted. "I'm just saying."

"You're just saying what?"

Sereak averted her glowering eyes to the ground and sighed with defeat. "Okay, I'm just saying that you shouldn't get excited for something that may not happen the way you want it. Like, what if your brother isn't coming back?"

"Don't say that!" Gianne hissed harshly, offended by her words. "He's not dead."

"How would you know?" Sereak fought. "Do you go with him on his scouting missions that we know nothing about, or are you secretly hiring a spy to stalk him? No Gianne, you don't know and I'm just saying that whatever that return letter says when you get it, you have to accept it."

"And I'm going to accept the fact that he's alive."

"Or not!" Sereak burst.

Gianne's face went red with fury, her brows knitting together and her freckles once again vanishing. She countered Sereak's dagger look with a glare of her own. Standing silently to the side, Gage could feel powerful tension between the two girls. He knew if he disturbed, they would both force him to choose sides, and Gage didn't want to be a part of this stormy war.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Gianne questioned venomously. "You're my friend, but you're being a total jerk."

"I'm a friend who is trying to get you out of the fantasy life and bring your big ass back to the real world. Wake up and smell the blood Gianne, life isn't easy anymore!" Sereak replied.

"Are you losing hope already?"

"After I saw my mother get eaten by a Titan right in front of me and getting a correspondence that my father died in Shiganshina, I began debating whether hope is really on our side or not." Her bold green eyes hardened grimly. Gage remembered when Sereak received that letter from a Garrison soldier. He apologized for her lose before she even read it. After she did, she didn't cry like he expected her too. She just stood there looking utterly wrathful.

"Just because _you're_ family died, doesn't mean you can predict the fate of my own brother!" Gianne spat out.

Gage just stared at her in incredulity. Her irate expression proved that she was serious about what she said. He feared the outcome of her words, knowing what Sereak would do. She's already dealt with so much the past few weeks. All these miserable events were like a stab in the stomach, making Sereak slowly bleed to death. Before he could confront Gianne for her words, Sereak slammed her hard fist into the red-heads face.

"Sereak!" Gage yelled in alarm.

Gianne fell back from the vigorous punch, feeling a searing burn on both her nose and left cheek. She lifted her cool palm to press against the hot skin and felt her muscles lock from the impact. For a moment, she couldn't move her jaw and she moved her hand away to notice blood stained on her fingers. Her nose was bleeding.

Sereak's eyes burned into Gianne's face as she bit her lip. Her fist throbbed a little and stayed its magenta color. Gianne attempted to say something about the punch, but her friend beat her too it as a waterfall of tears ran down her face.

"They were your family too you stupid _bitch_!" she said the last word coldly, like an icicle just stabbed through Gianne's heart.

Then she turned and jogged away from the duo.

Gage just stood there, dumbfounded on what he just witnessed. Before he could comfort his fallen friend, he noticed how she was gone as well.

-:-

"My god, there are too many stomachs here." a soldier complained to his fellow comrade. "Do we really have to share our food with them?"

"It was an order to keep the survivors from starving to death." the other man replied, sighing with irritation. "Why don't we though? If the Titans didn't manage to eat enough of them, maybe kicking them out would be a better option to save our food supply."

From above, Gianne sent down daggering looks at the two soldiers. Their selfishness urged her to climb down from where she was and hurt them in their sensitive spots. Except, they were sober so it would be rather difficult to physically abuse them without getting hurt herself. Being above high ground, she was too comfortable anyway, so she stayed put.

It's been a week after Gianne's awake and her fight with Sereak. Her skin was slowly regaining its fair color and the meals she got everyday managed to give her some energy again. Though, most of her days, she would climb up the barns rooftop and sit by herself, enjoying kisses from the winds and waiting patiently for the messenger to return. Today, she was positive that he would be arriving.

"Gianne!" someone called her name. She looked down to see Gage struggling to climb up the side of the barn. He wasn't a great climber, but his effort managed to get him half way up. Except, one loose mistake and he would plummet twenty feet from where he was. Gianne saw him sweating and looking down at the floor fearfully. He turned back to her, begging for assistance. "P-Please help!"

Laughing heartily, she reached her long arm down and offered a hand. Gage took it quickly, his grip tight and his skin wet from sweat. Hoisting his body up, Gianne dragged him over the edge and pulled his large structure closer to the middle. When he was finally safe, he shivered with anxiety.

"How do you do this? Climb up tall heights fearlessly?" he gasped out, trying to breathe normal.

Gianne couldn't force back the smile towards her friend. Chuckling to herself, she stated. "I'm just unnatural."

"I know." he replied. Privately regretting changing the subject, he forced out his words. "You should go apologize to Sereak."

Gianne's positivity immediately dropped, making the red-head glare at the brunette suspiciously. "Did she tell you to come here just to make me feel guilty? If so, I have no intention to apologize to her now."

"But," Gage tried to be patient with her stubbornness. "We shouldn't be fighting right now. We should be trying to survive and aim towards the future. Do you have any idea what we're going to do?"

"Yes. Kota will come back and he'll take care of the both of us. Sereak can beg if she wants to come along." Gianne said harshly. Gage just sighed, not intending on arguing with the girl. He decided to change the subject once again.

"You know this place used to be a food storage." he noted quickly.

"So..." Gianne trailed bluntly.

"Just trying to have a conversation." Gage sighed feeling defeated.

Gianne didn't respond. She didn't even look at him. Her eyes were just staring freely at the new environment she was now going to have to call her home. Gage knew how much she hated change. It made her uncomfortable and insecure. Even the Garrison soldiers that muttered angrily to one another about giving up their food weren't helping.

An idea than hit him.

Grinning towards Gianne, he asked. "How about a game?"

"What kind of game?" she said with little life in her voice.

"It's what my mom and I played all the time. So I say a specific word and you have to say another word that relates to it," He explained. "We'll go back a forth! I'll go first."

"Sure..."

"Cat."

"Animal."

"Food."

"Hungry."

"Belly."

"Stitches."

"Injury."

"Cu-" she stopped suddenly and narrowed her eyes towards something. A wide gaping look was switched on her face. Suddenly, she sprang to her feet which surprised Gage. "He's here!"

"_He's here_ doesn't relate to_ injury_." he pointed out.

"Not the stupid game dummy, the messenger is here! Come on let's go! He may have my reply letter!"

-:-

Gianne had to literally pull Gage down from the barn roof and drag him all the way to the crowd that surrounded a young man on a horse. Every hand was raised up, each voice demanding a letter while the messenger was struggling to give them all the right ones. Gianne held on to her friends hand as they pushed their way through the adrenalized adults. One hand gripped on to the messenger's tunic and tried jerked him down, but the frantic young man swatted the hand away.

One by one, he picked out the letters and read out the names they were addressed to. There were many sighs of relief and slight sobs when each individual read their message, making Gianne restrain her anger, fear, and anxiety. What would she be so nervous about though? Her brother was a strong soldier, one of the top three strongest soldiers humanity had. He will come back to her. She didn't need to worry.

"Gage Butler!" the messenger waved a golden envelope above his head, calling out the brunettes name once more. "Gage Butler?"

"That's me sir!" Gage tried raising his hand through the cluster of people in front of him. Lucky for the messenger, he was above the all by his trusted horse, so he spotted the fighting boy easily.

"A correspondence from Erwin Smith, commander of the Recon Corps." he bent down forward, attempting to hand him the envelope.

Retrieving it and thanking him, Gage and Gianne raced away. When they found a nice private area, the smiling red-head ripped the envelope out of his hands and began tearing the cover off. Pieces of paper floated down to the ground and Gianne just kicked them away. The note was finally in her hand and she read out the first five words, until she stopped. Gage was suspicious about her puzzled look.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Um…" her face began to turn bright red and she shook uncomfortably. "I-I can't read cursive." she shamefully handed him the note. "Can you please… um… read it for me?"

"Of course!" he smiled and gently took it from her. Reading it to himself, Gianne crossed her arms and tapped her foot agitated. The air right now seemed to be getting thinner, her breathing became difficult. Her palms shook when the sweat reached them, and they wouldn't stop.

"What does it say?" she croaked.

It took Gage a few seconds to turn away from the letter and stare at her, his eyes suddenly softening into sympathy. The look made Gianne freeze in place, hold her breath, and count her heart beats. Gage said, "I'm sorry Gianne, but… he's gone."

An abrupt chill ran down her spine, making her body shiver. In her eyes, she felt a sword drive its blade into her heart. What was this feeling? It felt like she just died.

"W-What…?" she squeaked.

"He died during the mission. Missing in action is what it said." he said more clearly.

"What does that mean? What does that mean?" she asked, sobbing in between her words. Her legs wobbled feebly, like her muscles loosened. She then fell on her knees, slamming her palms on the ground and staring widely at the floor. The information wasn't coming to her directly, but only because she didn't want to believe it. "I don't understand. What does this mean?"

Gage just stared at her, a weight dropping down to his stomach. He knew what was happening, because he went through this when his family died. She was trying not to accept it. Sereak did warn her, but she didn't want to believe in reality. Now, Gianne was about to go through the same depressing state her friends went through.

"I don't understand. Kota is really… dead?" after her words, she turned to Gage with a grim expression. Her eyes glared a dark look towards him while her teeth tightened. "You're lying."

Gage looked down to avoid her gaze, "No I'm not. It says here in –Ack!" he was cut off when his body smashed against the wall behind him. Gianne's grip on his shoulders were hard like stone, her nails digging into his grey fabric until it reached the skin. His abashed expression twitched from the stinging pain. The wild red-head creature before him looked menacing with furious burning eyes and a dark energy releasing around her. If escaping Titans was frightening enough, Gage didn't know how to save himself from this.

"Liar, I don't believe you!" she shrieked in his face. Gage could feel her hot breath on his cheeks and trembling lips. "Don't play games with me Gage! He's a live, I know he is, and you're a fucking liar! I'll kill you! I'll kill all you liars! My brother is a live!"

Gianne all of a sudden had her spine make contact with the hard ground. The force pushed the air out of her lungs, making her unable to breathe for a few seconds. Looking up at the source that pulled her away from Gage, burning golden eyes met hard grey ones.

The girl looked around her age, short and petite with light blonde hair that was up in a bun-like hairdo. Her pale nose was large and pronounced and her grim expression reminded Gianne of Sereak. Behind her, a tanned skin boy with dark brown hair stood next to Gage looking anxiously towards his companion.

"Is this how you normally act?" the girl asked. "Like a reckless little brat?"

Her comment clouded Gianne's mind with complete rage and made her throat tightening with emotion. She wanted to so badly hurt this unforeseen stranger, but she stood still when the girl talked again.

"If so, then you're more useless than I thought."

Gianne didn't remember swinging her leg towards her feet, but she was proud she did. The girl tripped slightly and then steadied herself before falling. The powerful feeling Gianne kept locked in her heart suddenly exploded, polluting her body with complete adrenaline. Distress and fury controlled her mind, commanding her to stand up for herself. There was no time for crying, no time to mourn.

She pushed herself forward form the ground and sprang towards the blonde.

Gianne then felt a sudden shock in her leg and cried out in agony. She kicked her! A couple people turned to witness the sudden brawl after the yell, but they just stood there like bystanders. While Gianne was kneeling towards the floor, her hands wrapped around the girls pale heels and she pulled them towards her. The girl gave a shocked yelp when her back slammed the ground, but before she could get up, Gianne crawl on top of her.

She placed her weight on her flat chest and pinned both her arms down with the use of her left hand. Her friend yelled out, "Annie!"

The girl, Annie, didn't look frighten at all. Her grey eyes just stared blandly towards Gianne's heated up face. This made Gianne even more furious. She wanted to destroy that dull look she received, it felt so unacceptable. Her brother just died, but no one cared. He was powerful and strong, coming home with a few marked scars from his mission but still in one piece. Now, he was dead. He left Gianne alone to fend for herself. Stupid, is what she described him. He was stupid for leaving. No one should leave family behind!

Taking the first swing, Annie dodged swiftly, making Gianne's hand turn numb. The floor was harder than she suspected. Her hand was red with pain and the muscles were tight. She couldn't move it. Distracted, Annie managed to hurt the girl even more. Wrapping her legs around her waist and twisting her wrists free from the fingers, she pulled her opponents body closer towards her own and jammed her fist right in her stomach.

Gasping from the sudden impact, Gianne didn't notice the pale fist racing to her until she saw nothing but black spots. Groaning from the ache and being blind, her entire body forcefully went to the ground. A heavy pressure rested on her waist and her wide out arms were pushed down. The black spots finally faded away, but Gianne wished she was blind again so she didn't have to stare unwillingly at the hard-looking blonde. Accepting defeat was not a trait Gianne was known for.

Legs and arms flailing to be free, Gianne thrashed around violently but Annie's mass held her down tightly. She could hear Gage calling out to her while she screeched, "Get off me! Get off me now!"

"Antonio," Annie called to her friend. "Give me my bread."

"Why?" he questioned with a puzzled tone.

"Just give it to me now." she demanded.

"Get off!" Gianne continued. "Get off now! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you! I'll destroy the Titans and these walls! I'll kill you! I'll-"

A loaf of bread was shoved in her mouth deeply, silencing her outburst and freezing her body. Gianne couldn't bite or spit it out, she just gaged from the mouthful. It didn't even taste that good. Annie looked calmer than how she did before after bending her face down towards the red-head. Her hard grey eyes bored into teary golden ones. She spoke.

"Are you done?"

Gianne gave her a black glare. "Mmmhmmmmmhmm!" she moaned through the mouthful.

"Okay," she sighed. "You said you wanted to kill every. Me, the walls, and the Titans, am I correct? Now let me ask you this. What's more important right now, your life or your selfishness?"

Her heart stung from that last word. Gianne still couldn't talk, so she listened to the sullen looking girl.

"A lot of people died because of the Titans, what makes your brother so special? Women lost their husbands, children are orphans, and some are at the break of insanity. Death is death, you can't change that law." she brought her head away a few inches. "You can cry and you can mourn about your brother all you want, but you also have to move on with yourself. And you can't point fingers at innocent victims that had nothing to do with his death." she pointed towards Gage, "The fault isn't his or yours, it's just life. You're strong, so you shouldn't be fighting others who are weaker than you. It's not fair to them."

Behind her, Gianne noticed how Gage twitched uncomfortably. That was her friend, and she howled out saying how she wanted to kill him for being a liar. He wasn't, the truth was told. She was just too stubborn and shocked to accept that. The raging monster inside was going to drive her to hurt others, and for what? She only fought to protect her family and defend herself, but when she was exceedingly angry it turned her into a blind monster. When she thought about it, the image of the women and men getting devoured by the Titans caused her to shiver from realization.

"Here…" Annie broke her thought. Before Gianne could come back to earth, an instant punch connected with the side of her left face, causing her left eye to go white for a few seconds. No moan escaped her lips; she tried her best to endure it. The wound began to numb and her left vision was blurry. The left side of her face felt larger than the right. A black eye was forming. She could faintly hear Gage again.

"Gianne!"

"That will be a reminder of your stupidity." Annie said. No emotion was found in her deep voice. Her body loosened from the hold, Gianne would be free from this blonde.

Unexpectedly, Annie was pushed off and away from her. Gianne looked up to see who her savior was. Then, a hard pang of mixed emotion rammed against her chest. It was Sereak.

The dark haired girl stood over the fallen blonde with her natural scowl darker than usual. Her bold green orbs glared straightly at her with threat and fury mixed in. The same fang-like teeth revealed themselves; Gianne knew Sereak did that when she felt challenged. Walking over her fallen friend, she stood between them both. Gianne hoisted her torso up, spat out the stale bread, and watched her friend.

"Back off." she growled. Her voice was rough and low, like a dog when it was challenegd.

Annie just gazed at her with interest, and then looked back to Gianne. She still was scared or nervous, which puzzled the red-head greatly. Normally when people saw Sereak at her raging state, they knew it was best to engage with her. Annie wasn't fearless, she just didn't care. Gianne found the blonde very amusing.

Annie sighed and got up from the ground. Dusting herself off, she called to her companion, Antonio, who came to her with a look of worry written on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I know you don't like it when I get in your fights, but I had the urge to jump in and help you. Are you hurt or anything?"

She didn't answer him. She didn't even look at him. Her grey eyes just held on to Gianne's. She spoke, "Just remember that black eye stupid."

Gianne didn't have time to answer her. Annie just turned on her heels and walked away from the trio. Antonio jogged up to her, calling out her name repeatedly. "Annie! Annie wait!"

When the two were finally gone, Gianne looked down and released the tears she kept holding back. Her swollen eye was in too much damage to produce them, but her right one ran down like a river. Sereak and Gage went by her side to comfort the sobbing girl as she wailed out the emotions trapped in her throat. Turning to Sereak, Gianne jumped towards her kneeling friend and bawled in her shoulder. Her arms wrapped around tightly in fear that she may lose her best friend forever. Never again will she have an argument with her. Never again will she say those heartless words.

"Gianne…?" Sereak trailed.

"Sereak!" she cried out, finally accepting the world as it was. "He's dead! Kota is dead! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please don't leave me again! _I need you_!"

-:-

A few days later, the refugees were sent to cultivate land a secure food. Everyone, young or old, farmed in exchange for safety behind the walls. But that couldn't prevent the food storage from going empty. In the following year if 846, the Central Government launched a campaign to retake Wall Maria by using the refugees. Men were chosen to participate in a mission that led them to their fate. There were two hundred and fifty that left, but only a hundred returned. A fifth of the population was demolished. With their sacrifice, the food storage improved greatly. But it was a success no one dared to celebrate.

During the next weeks of working on the farmlands, Gianne and her friends took shelter in the barn, the place where she first awoke from her coma. It was very unexplainable, but the barn felt like home to Gianne. Maybe because she was desperate after so much loss, so were Sereak and Gage.

Gianne watched Gage awake from his slumber, shaking and wet with sweat.

"Are you okay?" she read out to grab his hand.

"Yeah, just… can't sleep. I had another nightmare, really happy I woke up."

"Wouldn't we all want that, to wake up from one big nightmare?" Sereak added bluntly. Gianne knew what she meant.

The air was silent between the three. The empty stall they slept in was filled with golden hay, but the dry straw wasn't comfortable. In fact, it itch their skin when they woke up and the irritation went away after a few hours. Though, it'll have to due until next year.

Next year. Gianne still hasn't told them yet. The silence right now was the perfect opportunity to reveal her next plan.

"Guys," she started. "I'm going to apply for the military training next year."

As expected, they stared at her, both surprise and doubtful. Sereaks glowering look soften while Gage looked away from her with shame. Sereak spoke first.

"Why is that?"

"Do you remember that story you read to me once, the one about the group of villagers that wanted to overthrow their king?"

"You mean… The Black Rebellion?" she reminded.

"Yes that one," Gianne said.

The story of the Black Rebellion was about a group of villagers that lived under the rule of their tyrant king. He was ruthless and malevolent towards his people. He took away the women and used them as game for his hunt. The young boys had their genitals cut so they wouldn't reproduce, the king claiming how he was the only father of all. The men were put in death tournaments to please the king himself.

Then, one day, a group of magicians came along and witnessed the terror in the village. They convinced the men to rebel against the king and take back their homelands. Though, the king was strong and powerful with an army willing to defend him with their lives. Then, the magicians had an idea. Using their powerful magic, they changed the village-men's eyes color from brown to violet. The new eye color gave them an advantage to see in the dark clearer than any other human. With that, the magicians also conjured up a spell to turn the blue sky completely black. The world was covered in complete darkness, blinding everyone and everything, while the magicians and men were able to see perfectly fine.

The terrified king was then assassinated in his throne room, confused and frightened about the sky's sudden change. After his death, the villagers burnt his corpse and the embers that flew up to the sky broke away the darkness to bring back the blue color. It was a victory the villagers and magicians celebrated for many decades, honoring the brave men that brought back their freedom and the sky that saved them all. The black sky was a symbol of revenge, and taking back freedom. That's what Gianne wanted.

"I want to make my own black sky." she admitted proudly. Sereak stared at her. "I want to be like those villagers and take revenge on those fucking monsters that destroyed my life and Kota's. I want to take is title as third best, or even better. I want the Starken name to be remembered by humanity. I want to be free."

For a while, there was nothing but silence again. Gianne wondered if she said too much. Then again, she did have a big mouth. But she didn't regret anything. Holding back on how she felt wasn't going to help her or her dream. Either way, she was going to join the military, with or without her friends.

"I'll come too." Sereak said.

"Same…" Gage trailed.

"What?" Gianne was shocked. "But, you guys don't have too if I'm going. I don't want you to get hurt or… die."

Sereak looked at her hard with a straight face. "I'm going because my father was in the Garrisons and yet, he died to save Wall Maria. Just like your brother, I'll follow in my father's footsteps. And," she averted her eyes to the straw, looking a little unsure of herself. She blurted. "And you're my family, so we have to stick together."

"Sereak…" Gianne sighed out. The edge of her lips twitched upward and her chest felt warm inside. Seeing Sereak admit they were family for the first time made Gianne see another side of her cold friend. Like they were much closer than best friends, they were soul sisters.

"I'm joining because I want to get stronger." Gage said.

"Gage, I'm happy you'll come along, and I'll protect you and Sereak no matter what–"

"No!" he cut in, staggering both Gianne and Sereak. "I'm done with you trying to protect me. I'm done with everyone calling me a burden. This time, I'm going to do all that I can to keep _you_ safe. You don't have to mother me or Sereak anymore."

His eyes bored into hers, a serious expression masked on his face. Gianne was taken-back by his sudden outburst and a little hurt by his words. Was her overprotectiveness really being such bother to him? She did tell him to prove his capability to take of himself without the use of her care. This wasn't the proof Gianne was hoping for, but as a friend, she had to except that. If this was the best way to show her his own strength, than Gianne was fine with letting go of Gage and accepting his protection.

He was also right; he and Sereak don't seem to need Gianne's care anymore. Over their childhood years, the red-head would always defend herself and her friends from bullies or intoxicated soldiers. Gage was too gullible and nice while Sereak was quiet and a lone wolf. It was easy to pick on people like that, which is why Gianne acted like their hero. Now, they don't need a hero, they became their own.

"Alright," Gianne agreed with Gage. "But no matter what, I'll still mother you and keep you safe."

Gage forced on a smile, but kept quiet. Sereak sighed.

"Things are going to be different now, huh?"

She was right. Mentally, they were no longer children. That youthful age of playing and rough housing and being under the care of adults died longer ago.

"Yes." Gianne replied. "But we'll get through it together."

**-Phoenix **


	3. The Trainee Corps

***Author's Note: Oh god, the moment everyone has been waiting for, am I right? For some reason, I feel like this chapter is the true beginning of my story. Probably because I have most of the OC's introduced in here. I'll give credit to everyone at the end. If you have any questions or complaints, please feel free to post that as a review or send me a PM.**

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy! **

**Chapter Three: The Trainee Corps**

"Remember Gianne, two knees and three uppercuts. But you have to twist your waist around too." Kota reminded the sweaty red-head.

"I am…" she said, defensively.

"If you were, I wouldn't be reminding you. Now do it again. Come at me." The tall young man went into his defense stance, motioning the young girl to attack. Her golden eyes flared with determination. Without a second to spare, she jump forward to her older brother and drove her right knee into his stomach. After the second one, Gianne swiftly swung her fist three times into his abdomen, managing to push the air right out. His head was crouched down to her level. Should she ram her elbow into the side of his face? But he didn't tell her to.

Kota got a quick breath and brought his fist up. Before Gianne knew it, he punched her face, sending her to the ground. Black spots sprouted in Gianne's view and she choked on the dust entering her throat. After recovering, she shot at daggering glare at her brother.

"What the hell Kota?"

"I only pushed you away, a thing someone would do if they were assaulted. You had a clear shot of my head, and yet, you did nothing." he said.

"I was thinking about elbowing you!" she exclaimed.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because…" she trembled and glared at the floor, furious. "Because you only told me to do those knee-kicks and uppercuts, so I stopped."

Kota narrowed his brown eyes, examining her carefully. "What if this was a real attack? Your opponent isn't going to tell you what to do–"

"I know that!"

"Let me finish. All I'm saying is that you should trust _yourself_. If you thought elbowing me in the head was a smart move, then do it. No one's going to control you Gianne." he walked over and patted her head. His touch was always comforting, even if he didn't show it.

"Only you can control yourself."

-:-:-:-:-

Gianne blinked away that memory.

The tingling sensation on top of her head reminded her of Kota's touch. The thought of him made her throat croak a little. She needed to leave the past behind and focus on what was happening now.

A year later, thirteen year old Gianne Starken stood tall with strangers beside her. The military trainee uniform fit perfectly, making the red-head excited to be here. Though, she kept herself unreadable and stern. Messing up and making a bad impression would destroy her permanently. This was her one chance opportunity to be a part of the military. She was going to make her brother proud.

Sereak's back was in front of her, standing still as stone with the other cadets. Gage was some were else among the crowd.

"We now begin the enlistment ceremony for the 104th Trainee Corps!" a dark skin bald man with wide eyes and a sharp goatee stood in front of the dozens of young children who volunteered to be here. He stood tall and looked down on the others grimly. "I am Keith Shadis, and I had the misfortune to be assigned to train you bastards. And I'm not here to welcome you at all! Right now, you're mere cattle, fit for nothing but Titan food! No, less than cattle…"

Gianne looked back at her best friend. In two years, they looked different, much different. Sereak's hair had gotten longer and darker. She pulled it up into a tight ponytail before they came here. Her green eyes still glared at anything she saw, causing people to mistake her for being completely angry when she really wasn't. Though, as they got older, Gianne noticed how her and Gage seemed stronger than they have been before. Especially Gage.

"In three years, we'll take you worthless pieces of crap and train you! Give you the means to fight the Titans. In three years, when you stand before a Titan, will you still be food? Or will you be a noble wall, shielding the King?"

Just hearing that made Gianne hiss. The King didn't do anything to help her and the other survivors except kill them off so they have fewer mouths to feed. She would never risk her life for the King, a cowardly figurehead.

"Or perhaps, one of humanity's glorious soldiers that slay Titans? You will decide!" Keith barked across the whole area.

Gianne already knew what she wanted to do. Her anger and vengeance towards those gigantic bastards was already great. She wanted blood, hot blood everywhere. She was strong and brave and smart, no one would dare try to stop her.

_I'm done hiding behind these walls. I want to kill all of them. I want revenge. I want freedom. I want to make my black sky._

Keith Shadis walked down from the platform he was on and trailed around the new trainees. His tall structure towered over the children. He scanned them suspiciously with his sharp eyes, looking for any sign of cringe from his intimidation. Soon, he found one and poked his attention towards a blonde boy.

"Hey kid!"

"Sir!" he replied quickly and does his salute. Right fist over the heart and the left goes to the back. Gianne looked closer at this boy and found him oddly familiar.

"Who the hell are you?" the instructor shouts in his face.

"I am Armin Arlert from the Shiganshina district!" he introduced, exceedingly loud. Gianne still didn't know why he looked so familiar.

"Is that so? You have a retarded name! Did your parents name you?" Keith said.

"No, my grandfather!" Armin said. His pale face was shining with sweat. Gianne wondered if it was from the scorching sun or just the presence of their Instructor.

"Arlert, what is your purpose for joining the military training?"

"To aid humanity's victory!"

The instructor smirked down on him with amusement. "Now that's wonderful. I'll have you become Titan food," as he said this, his large hand was placed tightly on Armin's hand. "Third row!" he turned his head around with his strength, forcing the boy to rotate with both his eyes and mouth closed.

The instructor found a new young recruit that caught his interest. A boy with dark skin and long black hair that mistaken him to look slightly feminine. His ear glittered and Gianne looked closer to spot a piece of diamond pierced in. This boy seemed to be aiming for a woman appearance.

"Hey, maggot." Keith said to him.

"Sir!" he did his salute respectfully and flipped his hair to the side.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I am Daedre Moche, from the Shigashina District sir!" he cried.

Gianne was now getting interested. So far, there were two boys from her fallen home. She wondered how they managed to survive.

"Moche, huh?" Keith muttered. "What the hell is in your ear?"

"A diamond earring, sir!" he yelled back. "It was my mother's!"

"You look like a woman. Tell me Moche, do you have a dick or a cunt?" he questioned him harshly.

Keith's verbal abuse seemed to amuse Daedre after Gianne witnessed his lips tugging to form a smirk. He wanted to say something to counter their Instructor's rude question, but he restrained himself. Instead, he answered. "I'm a boy, sir!"

"Of course you are. Now, why are you here?" Keith said.

"To become strong and kill Titans, sir!" Daedre replied.

"Well, I wish you luck Moche. Because," the tall man leans forward to his face, their foreheads a few inches apart. The sudden violation of Daedre's personal space made him quiver. "I expect the first one to get eaten will be you."

He moved away from Daedre and shouted, "Next!"

Keith Shadis strode past Gianne and her line. The red-head tried her best to stay still, but she longed to move around again. The idea of standing here the whole morning with the blistering sun beating on her back bored her completely. She was too hyper to stay in one position for a long time, so she focused on Sereak's back and played with her fingers in order to distract herself. _When will this introduction finally end?_ She pleaded in her mind.

The instructor's eyes were glued on Gianne for a second, until he turned his attention to the boy next to her. Just like her, Keith didn't seem to have the need to abuse the boy. When he walked down a couple more rows, he halted when he spotted a tall young man with an undercut.

"Oi! Who the hell are you?!"

"I am Jean Kirschtein from the Trost District!" he shouted. Gianne averted her eyes to get a better look at him. He seemed pretty confident in himself. She figured he might be cocky as well. Sereak told her she was good at reading people.

_Maybe he's here in order to join the Military Police,_ she thought. _After seeing their personalities, this Jean boy must heading straight for that path. _

"And what are you here for?"

Jean gives a smile.

"To get into the Military Police, and live in the interior, sir." he said.

Gianne was right. She felt her eyes narrow.

The instructor smirks at Jean's answer. "I see. You want to go to the interior, do you?"

"Yes, sir!"

There was an audible bang and a terrible groaning sound. Gianne turning her head quickly to get a better view, and then went back to her position. Keith had just head-butted him, sending the boy on his knees and covering his now throbbing head. Jean clenched his forehead with both his hands.

"Oi! Who gave you permission to sit down? You think someone who folds _here_ is gonna be allowed into the Military Police?" Keith shouted at him.

Jean didn't answer, he just kept moaning to the floor. The instructor turned to the boy next to him. He had black hair and freckles over his pale face. He seemed to be dozing off, but Keith woke him with his harsh voice.

"You! Who the hell are you? What is your purpose in coming here?"

The boy jumped and came back to the introduction, quickly remembering what was going on. "I am Marco Bott from Jinae behind Wall Rose! I came here to join the military and work for the King!" he smiled nervously.

"Is that so? Good man, a noble intent. But just remember," –just like Daedre, he leans in close to Marco's face. The smile begins to fade–"The King doesn't want your body. Next!"

Keith moves away, leaving Marco utterly traumatized. Gianne felt a little sympathy for him. He seemed more serious to actually work for his King. She saw no interest in his eyes about living in the interior for comfort.

"You there! Who the hell are you?" Keith directs to a short boy with a buzz-cut. Just like everyone else, he shivered. He did his salute, except, it was backwards. Gianne held back the laughter in her throat.

"I am Connie Springer from Ragako, south of Wall Rose!"

"Listen up closely, Connie Springer." the instructor grabs the sides of Connie's head sternly and lifts him up. He was a foot above ground and his face looked stretched. Everyone watched intently at the scene. "I believe you were told about this before. That salute means you're offering your heart and soul to the King. You got it backwards! Is your–"

Before he could finish, a noticeable noise interrupted him. Gianne turned her attention to a girl with cherry brown hair and brown eyes. She also noticed how Gage was right next to her, looking very edgy. The girl was munching on what looked like to be a potato. Gianne's eyes widened.

Keith dropped Connie to the ground and walked over to her. He stopped and stood over the girl like a mountain. "You, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Unexpected, the girl looked around her surroundings, like their Instructor wasn't focusing on her. She kept munching on her potato. This got the man even more furious.

"You scum!" he screamed deeply in her face. This caught her attention. "I'm talking to you! Who the fuck are you?!"

The girl gulps quickly and does her salute, the potato still in her right hand. There were tiny pieces around her mouth, but she didn't seem to notice. "I am Sasha Blouse from the southern part of Wall Rose, Daupa!"

"Sasha Blouse…" Keith trailed. "What are you holding there in your right hand?"

"It's a steamed potato, sir! I happened to see them in the kitchen and I couldn't help myself!"

"So you stole it. Why are you eating the potato now?" he questioned calmly. This surprised Gianne greatly.

"They lose their taste when they get cold. So I thought it best to eat it right now." Sasha said. A fact now everyone knows. Keith was still unconvinced.

"No, I don't understand. Why are you eating the potato?"

Sasha gave him a perplexed look, "Um, are you asking me why people eat potatoes, sir?"

Her question made everyone turn to her in shock. The idea of a new trainee asking their superior a question like that was an insult. Sasha probably didn't understand what their Instructor was trying to ask, which was understandable. Though, Gianne foresaw an extreme punishment happening to Sasha Blouse.

The uncomfortable silence lasted for a while, until Sasha broke off a third of her potato. With a reluctant glance, she offered it to Keith. "You can, have half…"

"Half?"

Keith took it, puzzled by the sudden offer. Sasha smiled.

-:-:-:-:-

"Hey, he still got that potato girl running." Connie pointed out to everyone.

The mess hall was already filled with most of the cadets having dinner. Since Gianne went away to find a place to climb and Sereak stalked inside to get her meal, Gage was left by himself with a group of strangers. The group stared at Sasha running by with a look as if two invisible hands were choking her. The new cadet had earned the famous title, Potato Girl, which Gage found a little humorous.

"Wow, she's been going at it for five hours straight now." Eren admired.

"Still, the look on her face when the instructor told her to run until she was almost dead was nothing compared to her anguished look the moment he said she doesn't get to eat today." Gage said.

The two boys turned to each other, and instantly, Gage knew exactly who he was. This boy was the same Eren from two years ago when they were on the emergency boat. He was the one who vowed to kill all the Titans. Somehow, Gage wasn't surprised. He actually expected to see him here. Though, he treated Eren like this was the first time Gage has ever met him. A girl who was leaning on the wooden stand interrupted his thoughts.

"Great, the Instructor wants me to baby sit a fat-ass? Probably too lazy to do it himself…"

The girl was tall, a few inches away from Gage's height. She had an olive complex, dark auburn hair that was weaved in a side braid, and long legs. Her expression was rather blank, but Gage could see how impatient she was by looking at her grey eyes. Watching her closely, her slender arms folded across her chest and she sighed.

"Is this girl part horse or something? When is she going to die already?"

"Sylvia!" Mina, a girl with black hair, cried to her. Sylvia just shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"It's a joke. Learn to take one." She began walking away and waving back to the group. "Later losers, I'm not wasting my time anymore."

"Dauper. If memory serves that's a hunting village with a small population deep in the mountains." Connie said.

"I didn't know villages like that still existed." Marco implied.

Gage thought of his friend for a moment. "My friend Sereak lived up in the mountains a long time ago, so I assume they do."

Marco turned to him. He looked from Gage to Eren and Armin curiously. "Come to think of it, I didn't here where you two are from. Where did you live?" He was directing his question to both Gage and Eren.

"The Shiganshina District." Gage said.

"Same as him and Armin." Eren added.

The look everyone had on told Gage that they were surprised and nervous with excitement. Marco's eyes widened like both Gage and Eren revealed something sinful while Connie nudged forward. Even Mina seemed a little frightened.

"Oh, I see. Then you were…" Marco trails.

"You two must've been in Shiganshina that day, right?" Connie cuts in.

"Hey!" Marco turned to him, but Connie kept talking.

"Did you see it? The Colossal Titan?"

"Uh… yeah…" Eren said with discomfort.

Gage tried to erase those black memories out of his mind. There was so much blood, and so many Titans. Hundreds of people were eaten and his parents were crushed to death. He didn't want to go back to that time. The time he was weak and helpless and scared. During the years of working on the farms and fighting for survival, he's changed himself for the better of his friends. A small flashback wasn't going to frighten him anymore.

"Yes." he said.

-:-:-:-:-

"I hate this soup." Sereak complained as she played with her meal. Gage didn't look up from the other side. "It's too watery."

"You'll get used to it soon." Gage said. He bit into his bread and ripped off a piece. After he swallowed, he asked. "Where's Gianne?"

"That idiot is probably looking for something tall. You know her addiction to heights. I just hope she doesn't climb the mountain, it would be a pain to get her down." she sighed.

"W-Wait!" Gage choked out. "She would actually do that? Just to get some fresh air?! Should we stop her before–!"

Sereak managed to quiet him with a fierce look. Gage sunk back into his seat, feeling like a scared little kid. "I'm kidding stupid. God, you're so naïve..."

"I told you, I already saw it." Eren said out loud. The boy was crowded by the other cadets, interested in hearing about the Colossal Titan. Sereak was glad no one asked her or Gage about it. Even after two years of living on the streets, she still wasn't quite good with people and Gage still didn't have enough confidence to retell that serious event. Though, she did find it a little irritating, since there were other people at this training corps who also lived in Shiganshina and saw the Colossal Titan. What made this Eren boy so special? If Gianne was here, she would blabber about every little detail and show off her mysterious scars. Gasps from around Eren's table louden.

"Seriously?"

"How big was it?"

"It could look over the wall." Eren said casually.

Sereak muted out the group and focused her attention on a dark skin boy who walked to their table with a tray in his hands. He was shorter then Gage and more feminine looking. His long black hair was parted to one side and his eyes were big and shiny. Sereak remembered his name, Deadre Moche. He waved at them both with a buoyant grin.

"Hey y'all, got room for one more?"

"What does it look like?" Sereak said emotionlessly, stating how there were only two souls at a big table. Daedre just grinned wider.

"Sorry, I thought your imaginary friends took up most of the room here. I guess I was wrong." He cackled at his own joke.

Sereak gave him an odd look while Gage too looked slightly confused. Daedre placed himself next to Gage, maybe a little too close to him. Sereak watched her friend awkwardly move away a couple inches without the dark skin boy noticing. For a few minutes, the three of them sat in silence and ate their dinner, until Daedre spoke up.

"You two look very familiar." He stated, sounding very suspicious. "Have we met before?"

"Who knows…"Sereak said, her eyes trailed on her soup.

"Actually, yeah, you do look familiar as well." Gage noted with surprise. Then, something clicked in his brain. "You're from Shiganshina, right?"

"Yes." His face became darker then how it normally was. Sereak looked up with intuition.

"Were you on the last boat? The one all the civilians were trying to get on?"

All of a sudden, Daedre's face lite up, like he just came to realization. "Oh now I remember. You're that boy I was next to. The friend of that red-headed girl who was bleeding a lot, and you were helping her." He pointed to Sereak. "Are you, like, a nurse or something?"

"No…"

"Okay, you don't need to be so enthusiastic about it..." he rolled his brown eyes. Sereak gave him a hard look which made him quiver. Sereak didn't enjoy his comical attitude. Before she could talk, a boy interrupted her.

"Hey dude, are you nuts?"

Everyone turned to the source. The boy, who was head-butted before, Jean, broke in to Eren's little admirers. Sereak watched the scene carefully, as well as Gage and Daedre.

"Did you just say you wanted to join the Survey Corps?" he asked Eren. His elbow rested on the table while his chin was placed on the palm of his hand. Similar to what Gage was doing right now. His table was right across from Eren's.

"That's right." Eren replied. "And you were the one who wanted to join the military police and live an easy life?"

"I'm an honest man." Jean admitted. "It's better than acting all tough when you're scared shitless."

Eren stood from his seat, his eyes not breaking away from Jean's. They were dark and very threatening. "Are you talking about me?"

Sereak noticed how Daedre seemed a little tense, as if he wanted to jump in to this sudden conflict.

"H-Hey, stop it!" a boy with freckles said.

Jean grins and also stands up from his seat. He was a few inches taller than Eren, Sereak noticed. If there was going to be a fight, she was exceedingly happy that Gianne wasn't here.

"Oh?" Jean taunted. "Well, sorry if I offended you."

Both Eren and Jean walk towards each other with fire in their eyes. Jean looked down while Eren looked up, making the tall boy feel like the bigger man. Maybe he was. Eren was the one who stood up first. Though, Jean also pushed him when he spoke out his opinions on the Survey Corps. In a way, neither was right, and now, there was going to be a fight against nothing.

Just then, the bells rang.

"Saved by the bell…" Daedre said, sighing with relief.

"You got that right." Gage agreed.

"My bad. I wasn't trying to judge what you think. Let's forget about this." Jean said and offered his hand in front of Eren. The boy looked at it suspiciously, as if there was no point to be civil with him. He gave up, however, and slapped it.

"Yeah same here. Sorry." he said. Eren then took his leave. Jean stood by, watching him go.

Sereak wasn't expecting to do this, but for some reason, she wanted to defend Eren. Even if the Survey Corps wasn't on her mind when she graduated, she felt like it deserved it's respected. So she called out to him.

"You know Jean, he's got a point."

"Huh?" Jean turned to her. Even Gage and Daedre were astonished to hear her voice.

"Why join the Military Police when you have no intention to protect anyone at all? Life's just not about you." She turned away and continued to play with her spoon.

Jean was silent for a while, trying to comprehend what she said. Then he spoke out, "Mind your own business." Sereak could feel is glare on her back. For some reason, that made her feel good.

-:-:-:-:-

Gianne thought the girl's cabin roof was great. The building was high enough in order to feel the cold wind against her skin. She inhaled the splendid fresh air and watched the night sky.

The color was dark, but not completely black, like how Gianne wanted it to be. The moon and stars stood out brightly, making the sky midnight blue. In Sereak's story, the black sky caused all the stars and the moon to disappear into the emptiness so there would be no light. It was hard for everyone to see. Every soul on earth was blind that one night. Gianne wondered if that story was true. Maybe a hundred years ago, there were a bunch of wizards that made the sky pitch black.

The air she inhaled scratched her throat, causing her to cough. She's been up here for a long time, and she knew it was time to go down, as much as she hated to admit it.

Crawling to the edge of the roof, she grabbed the edge and swung her herself downward. Her hands gripped the wooden wall tightly as she climbed down. When her feet met the ground, Gianne suddenly tensed.

Swinging her right fist at his face, the stranger caught it before there was any damage. Gianne cried in pain when she felt his hand squeezing hers. In a second attempt, she pushed her knee up to his groin, but his free hand stopped her from succeeding. Gianne was then aggressively pushed a couple feet back by his foot in her stomach. The impact made the air from her lungs escape and caused her to hit the ground on her rear. When she could finally breathe again, she looked up and scowled at her attacker.

"What the hell!" she screamed angrily.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he said, coming out of the shadows. The light revealed his full appearance. "Why would you attack an innocent victim?"

He was tall and lean, with light brown hair and brown eyes. His expression was a mixture or fury and annoyance. Gianne glared at him.

"I thought _you_ were going to attack _me_." she growled.

"And why would I do that?"

"You were behind me and no one else was around. I was only protecting myself!" she exclaimed.

"I was coming back from dinner. The boys cabins are in this direction stupid." he bit back.

"Alone?"

"…I wanted to be by myself." he muttered.

"Right you pervert…"

"I'm not a pervert! You know… whatever…" he said.

The boy began to walk away from Gianne with his hands dug into his pants pocket. Gianne scowled in his direction, scanning his body up and down. She hoped that her looks could kill him right on the spot. However, something gleamed under the light of a nearby lantern. It was a peculiar object strapped to his right ankle. Short, it was, and very thin. It looked like a stick with a metallic point at the top. He was caring a spear! Cadets weren't allowed to carry weapons!

Springing upward, Gianne surprised him with an unexpected attack. She tackled him down with all her weight, causing him to gasp out with astonishment. Quickly, Gianne restrained both his hands with her right one while her left hand pushed down on his head. The side of his face was digging into the dirt.

"Why do you have a weapon with you?" she lowered her head and hissed in his ear.

"That's none of your concern." he said with venom in his voice.

"It will be once I find out that you used it against the other cadets." she replied.

"Is that what you really think I would do? God, you're so stupid."

"You won't be calling me that after I report you to the instructor and have him kick your ass out of here." Gianne threatened. "Or maybe, I'll teach you a lesson myself."

"What's the second option?" he asked.

"Instead of calling you out, I'll humiliate you." she smiled wickedly to make her freckles blend in with her fair skin, her innocence now disappearing. "Since you seem to know the way of martial arts and defending yourself, I want to test that."

The boy forced his head up and turned to the left, feeling rather interested about her offer. Gianne hope he wouldn't back down from it.

"Are you challenging me?"

"Of course, I'm fighter after all. But if I win, then you'll have to give up your spear." she explained.

The boy sighed out and closed his eyes. Gianne was puzzled by this response. Was he irritated or being a coward? He seemed like the kind of boy who wouldn't back down from an offer, but then again, Gianne just met him. Soon, he looked back to her with his one eye. A smirk began to form on his face and his eyes looked rather confident.

"Okay, I accept. But I should warn you… I won't go down so easily."

In a few minutes, the two went away and then turned to each other. The distance between them was only five feet, but Gianne could still describe that fierce look in his eyes. She saw pride and determination blending together to create his sudden energy. Both their fist were brought up in defense. There fight was about to start. Though, Gianne stalled for only a couple more seconds.

"Wait, before we start, shouldn't we say our names?"

"For what?" he said impatiently.

"So we know who we're fighting. It's a sign of respect… that's what my brother told me." she remembered. "Here, my name is Gianne Starken."

"Okay," he smiled a little. "I'm Conrad Gorman."

-:-:-:-:-

Today was the first day of training.

The sky was clear as glass and the air was warm with a cool breeze. Sereak was thankful that the sunlight wasn't blistering her back this time. All the cadets that didn't get cut were lined up in parallel rows while Keith Shadis shouted to them. In Sereak's opinion, he seemed less intimidating than yesterday's introduction.

Keith was standing in front of three long, wooden poles stuck to the ground, forming a pyramid shape. A metal belt was hanging in the middle with two cables from the sides connecting to the poles.

"Today, I'm going to check your aptitude. All you have to do is attach a rope to your hips and dangle. Keep your balance with the full belt on. Those who can't do this aren't even fit to use as bait. I'll send you to developmental areas."

As the first cadets in front went to the three wooden machines to test their ability, Sereak turned to Gianne.

"I forgot to ask. Why is your cheek dark?" she questioned.

Gianne snapped from her thoughts and touched the mark with her hand. Sereak caught her looking in the opposite direction, towards a boy with light brown hair. When he felt her gaze, they met eye contact and both smirked. Gianne turned away and cackled, making Sereak look more questionable than ever.

"Did you get in another fight?" Gage broke in.

"No, it's nothing guys…" she said.

"Why were you looking at that boy?" Sereak asked.

"What boy?" Gage asked, looking around.

"He's… a friend." Gianne said and smiled. "When will it be my turn to go up as well?"

"Sereak Poljor!" their Instructor called her name. "You're up scum. Starken, you're right after her."

"I guess after me…" Sereak said and walked to the wooden machine.

A young man went over to hook her up. The attached cable slowly lifted the belt; bring Sereak's body a few inches above ground. At first, she began to rock a little._ Just stay focused_, she encouraged herself. _This isn't so bad._

She imagined herself as a mountain goat; those animals were very well-known to keep good balance. Sereak closed her eyes and look in the air around her. The voices around her became mute, making her feel calm and less tense. When she opened her eyes, she was three feet above ground, still as stone.

_Well, this is much easier than I thought._

She turned to the people around her and noticed how Daedre was dangling on her left. He kept muttering to himself.

"Oi, Moche, how's the weather up there?" a girl with dark auburn hair directed to him. Sereak remembered her name, it was Sylvia.

"Oh, just peachy sweet, like your personality." he smiled.

"Ha, yeah yeah…" she smirked.

"Excellent Poljor!" Keith called to Sereak. She turned and glared in his direction. "Now _this_ is how you define talent."

"Oh please, that's nothing!" she heard Jean's voice. She averted her attention to the right and scowled her natural look right at him. He cringed under her stare and quickly lost his balance. Within a second, his head slammed against the ground. Sereak gave a private victory smile.

"Oi, Kirschtien, what are you doing? Didn't I say that you won't become part of the Military Police if you can't get yourself up? Pull yourself together bastard!"

Jean hauled himself up with so much effort, it turned his face magenta. He looked back to Sereak and gave her a nasty glance. Sereak encountered it with a look of her own.

After a minute, she was lowered back to the earth and detached from the cable. She walked over to her friends, but Gianne brushed past her rather quickly. _Of course she would be excited for this_, she sighed in her head.

Sereak and Gage watch their red-headed friend as she strapped the belt on. Both Eren and Mikasa were on the other wooden machines. After they were lifted, Sereak noticed her friend's cheeks becoming pink with excitement. Her balance was extremely well, to her surprise, and she kept a straight posture. When she was a three feet above the ground, she turned to the man behind her.

"Can this thing go any higher?" she pleaded.

"Ugh… no…"

"Aw, well this is no fun!" she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. She swung a little, but still managed to keep her body straight. Sereak thought she was perfect.

She looked to Mikasa and noticed something a little different. Her long black hair was now cut up above her shoulders. It made her look less attracting and fiercer. Should Sereak cut her hair as well? She took a strand of her dark locks in her fingers and played with it.

"Oh no, look at Eren…" Gage whispered.

Confused, she looked in Eren's direction. He was three feet above ground like the rest, but his head was facing the ground. His body had turned. His arms hung down lazily while his dumbfounded expression never changed.

"What the hell are you doing Jaeger? Get your body upright!" Keith shouted at him.

Eren stayed in his same position, hesitant about what to do. Around, a couple people began snickering at his failure. Sereak felt a presence on her right and turned to meet Daedre. He looked at Eren with sympathy.

"Poor guy, I wish I could help him…"

"You can't. He has to do it on his own. Like a wolf when it goes hunting for the first time."

-:-:-:-

During dinner, Eren still had the same expression on from today. His food was untouched as he stared blankly into space. Around the hall, he was accepting all the insults that were whispered loudly. The negative encouragement made him look even more distress then he already did.

"Quit staring." Sylvia broke Gianne's thoughts. Her gaze went from Eren to the auburn haired girl. "It's getting creepy and people will get the wrong idea."

"Oh…" she muttered, "I just feel a little bad for him."

"Same." Daedre added, "I bet he's already losing confidence in himself."

"What did I tell you before, you two? He had to do it on his own. If you're aiming to be a soldier, then you can't depend on others." Sereak said. "Like tigers. The male always works alone–"

"Enough! Stop comparing everything to fucking animals." Sylvia snapped. She earned a glare from the dark haired girl.

Gage broke in quickly, "You know that's not true Sereak. In the army, everyone has to work together. That's what we're graded on, teamwork"

"Sereak doesn't understand the meaning of that word, that loner." Gianne stuck her tongue at the glowering girl.

"Says the idiot who mistaken aptitude for altitude."

"Oh shut up! I don't know my words!" Gianne raised her voice angrily, slamming her palms on the wooden table. Gage restrained her from doing anything more rashes.

"Calm yourself…" he said.

"Ha, can you believe that idiot! He couldn't even get past the basics!" Jean cut in abruptly. His table was right next to the groups. Every head turned to his direction as he laugh to Marco and two other boys. "So much for getting into the Survey Corps." he shrugged. The two boys snickered while Marco looked a little unsure.

"You can't blame him. At least he tried." Sereak said to him.

"Yeah you jerk…" Daedre mumbled to himself.

"So what if he 'tried'? I bet he hit his head on his second attempt." Jean shrugged and smirked to himself.

"Of course," Daedre raises his voice. "Says the guy who hit his head from a girl's tiny glare, and that was only his first attempt." he smiled sweetly, as if he didn't make an insult. Gianne and Sylvia both giggled while Sereak suppressed a small smile.

Jean scowled while his friends snickered, "I lose my focus dammit!" he growled and turned away.

"That was pretty funny Daedre." Gage commented.

"Of course it was. I just called out horse-face." Daedre grinned. "I also think he has a thing for Mikasa, so I'll abuse him in the future for that."

"I would _love_ to help." Gianne joined, smirking evilly.

Soon, the bells rang loudly, signaling everyone to go back to their cabins.

-:-:-:-

The boy's cabin was filled with so much noise.

Everyone one talked to one another about different subjects while others prepared for bed. Gage's bed was the bottom mattress while Daedre slept over him on the top. While the two boys were discussing about Shiganshina on Gage's mattress, Eren and Armin came over.

"Huh?" Gage was abashed by Eren's question. "A trick to it? Well, all I can say is that you need to keep your body straight and watch something that isn't moving."

"Really? But I tried that and I still keep falling down." Eren cried.

"Well, that's all I know…"

"How about you Daedre?" Eren turned to him.

Daedre looked utterly stunned that Eren was even talking to him. His face was bright and sweat began dripping down the side of his face. He averted his eyes in different directions while he stumbled with his words.

"Ugh… see… ha well. I mean!" his face went a pinkish color. "All you– well no. If you try to… to… uh… hold on to the cable! Yeah, the cable! That will help you."

"But it's against the rule to do that." Armin noted. "It counts as cheating."

Daedre's whole face went bright red.

"Oh! I knew that–"

"Why don't you go ask Jean and Connie over there?" Gage quickly pointed to the two. "They were pretty good at it."

"Jean and Connie… You're right! Thank you!" Eren said and went away with his blonde friend.

Gage turned to his mortified friend.

"What's the matter with you?"

"N-Nothing…" Daedre sighed. "I just get… nervous around… people."

"Oh, well that's nothing to be ashamed about." Gage said. Daedre didn't even look up at him. His diamond ear ring glimmered under Gage's eyes.

"Hey," an unfamiliar voice called out to them. The boys looked up to see a young man with tan skin and brown hair walked up to them. "Sorry if this counts as eavesdropping, but I overheard you two talking about Shiganshina before."

"Oh yeah," Gage said. "Did you live there to?"

"Well, no, I lived in a village southeast of Wall Maria."

Both Gage and Daedre gasped.

"Really!" Daedre exclaimed. "So that means…"

The boy looked down, "Yeah. I was an orphan in my village, waiting for someone to finally adopt me. I was playing with my friends when I heard the sound of thunder. It was weird, because there wasn't a cloud in sight. We went outside to see what it was and _they_ came."

"Oh my god…" Gage trailed nervously. He could almost imagine the dread that boy must've felt. "What happened?"

"Everyone was… just in a panic. A third of our village was eaten and the survivors got on their horses to flee to Wall Rose. When we got to the refugees camp, I was alone. Well, until I met my friend Annie."

_Annie… Annie… tan boy…_, Gage thought. _Wait!_

"Oh! I remember you now! You're that boy who was friends with that blonde girl, the one who assaulted my friend, Gianne. Antonio, am I right?"

"Yeah… I forgot to apologize about that." Antonio scratched his head nervously. "But to be fair, your girlfriend almost broke Annie's nose."

Gage flushed at that sudden word while his stomach jumped.

"It was self-defense…" he shrugged, trying to hide his face.

"Well, whatever now, right?" Antonio cackled. "Anyway, what I wanted to say before was that it's no use."

"What is?"

"How Eren keeps ranting about going back outside to kill all the Titans. How he wants to reclaim his homeland. I just think his goal is very unrealistic."

Daedre's face darkened. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I've seen the way Titan's eat people. It causes you to lose hope. We're all lucky that we've survived so far, but what happens after we graduate? Does Eren expect to drive them out after all the years of training? Even the best soldiers get eaten."

Gage thought about Kota, Gianne's brother. He was one of the best, and yet, he was gone. He also thought about Gianne's goal. How she wanted to take down the Titans after what they did to her home and only family. When he compared her and Eren together, they were similar in some way. Both were head-strong and will do anything when they set their minds to it. Gianne was so eager about joining the military that she learned to control herself more. One mistake would kick you out immediately. She was prepared for the training. She was prepared to kill all the Titans.

Except, what if Antonio is right? What if there was no way to reclaim their home? The lands of Wall Maria were much bigger than the ones from both Wall Rose and Wall Sina. It would take _years_ to wipe the Titans out, and both Gianne and Eren would die trying.

No, he had to trust his friend. He had to trust himself. He vowed to protect her, he told her that firmly.

"You're right, there's no point to reclaim Wall Maria now." Gage said. Daedre looked at him funny. "We're comfortable now in the interior walls, but what about the future?"

"What do you mean?" Antonio asked.

"Humanity will over populate again, there won't be any more room or homes for families, and we'll just do what we did a year ago. Sacrifice a thousand men in order to save our food storage. You may already know this, but humans are one of the selfish creatures on earth."

"I already did…" Antonio agreed quickly.

"Though, there are some who aren't, and one of them is Eren."

"Oh? How so?"

"He doesn't care about his own safety. He doesn't care about committing suicide. He only cares about taking back what was rightfully his. He wants to save the human race from these monsters that terrorized us. I'm sure you know that feeling after the Titans overran your village." Antonio didn't speak. "I certainly did. Gianne and Sereak certainly did… even Daedre. All I'm saying is… if you don't care about fighting for your life and freedom, then what's the point of joining the military?"

"Well…"

"I mean, isn't that the reason you joined?"

"No, I did because I had no other options. I had no family and Annie would leave me alone if she went. So I tagged along…" he said.

"Everyone has a choice Antonio. No one can decide what you do." Gage said sternly. "What do you even want?"

Antonio was silent for a while as he looked away from the duo. There was something strange about his expression that neither Gage nor Daedre could comprehend. It looked as if he was in a war with himself… or in serious pain.

"I honestly don't know…" he answered.

-:-:-:-:-

The curious crowd gathered around the wooden machine. Keith Shadis stood in front of the Eren, with the cables clicked on to his belt, making him lift a few centimeters high. His face held complete willpower and readiness. This was his last day to prove himself.

Gianne watched him carefully.

"Eren Jaeger, are you ready?" Keith asked. "Control of the vertical maneuvering gear is the bare minimum required to be a soldier. If you can't do that, you're going back to the settlement. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" he said with a strong pride.

Daedre brought his face closer to Gianne's. He whispered, "You think he's gonna pass?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "But they better do this fast, I'm getting pretty bored right now."

"Begin." Keith said.

Eren was lifted slowly, a sickening fearful look written in his eyes. His teeth were compressed together when he wobbled a little. His arms and legs were slightly place out to maintain his balance. After a few more shakes, he managed to stay still.

The others were astonished. A few claps and cheers were heard from around, causing Eren to glow from the support and his triumph. Gianne, too, was pretty impressed by him. She couldn't help that stupid smile growing on her lips as she watched the excited boy.

Just then, he lost his balance and his head smashed on the ground.

Everyone gasps. The instructor walks up to Eren.

"No, w-wait! I can still…" Eren cries desperately while struggling to turn reverse.

"Bring him down." Keith orders.

Gianne felt her heart hammering against her chest. For some odd reason, she felt completely sorry for the boy. She wanted to jump in and help him right there, but she stood still. She turned to her friends, each having mixed feelings about what happened. Sylvia just shook her head.

"Tsk, tsk… can't this boy understand that you get no second chances as a soldier."

Eren kneeled ahead of the crowd, his hands locked in firm fists and his eyes shining as they formed tears. He looked scared, mortified, and beaten.

"I can still…" he started feebly.

Their Instructor turned to Thomas, "Wagner, give Jaeger your belt!"

"Huh? Ah… Y-Yes sir!"

Thomas unclipped his belt and handed it to Eren. Perplexed, he took it and replaced his own. Everyone watched with suspicion.

"What's going on?" Gianne asked Sereak.

"If I knew, you probably would've figured it out too."

Eren was brought back to the wooden machine while Thomas clicked him back in. Soon, Eren was lifted up again, but more steady and balanced this time. When he reached three feet above the ground, he managed to keep himself from flipping. Everyone was baffled by this.

"The equipment was defective. The metal fillings on your belt were rusty." Keith said. He held Eren's belt and examined it carefully. "I've never seen this part rust before. We need to add this to the list of things that need to be fixed."

_He managed to hang on with a broken belt! Oh my god, that's so amazing!_ Gianne thought.

"T-Then my aptitude score?" Eren asked.

"No problem… just keep practicing."

After a moment of absorbing the instructor's final grade, Eren raised his arms high victoriously.

"Yes!" he shouted.

"He did it!" Gianne cheered along.

"I knew he would!" Daedre said.

"Impressive…" Gage was amazed.

"So I guess we're all ready to go then?" Sereak asked.

"I would assume that…" Sylvia answered.

Eren was finally let back down and unclipped, his wild grin still not vanishing from his face. Without a second thought, Gianne raced up to him.

"Oi, Eren! That was so awesome! How did you manage to keep your balance on a rusted belt?"

"O-Oh…" he was stunned by the sudden appearance, but that disappeared with a beaming look. "I just focused on my body weight and tried to level it out. It was really difficult, but I think willpower did the trick. But I shouldn't brag, you're aptitude is _way_ better than mine. You could get a high rank for that."

"Thanks!" Gianne grinned. "My brother was a part of the Survey Corps and he would bring his maneuver gear home to teach me how to use it."

"Really, you're so lucky! And he's a part of the Survey Corps? That's such an honor! Who is he?"

"Kota Starken." she said.

"Thee Kota Starken! Wasn't he one of the greatest soldiers ever?!"

From afar, both Gianne and Eren's friends watched their interaction with each other. Sylvia rolled her eyes.

"Oh, just what we needed, two hardheaded idiots coming together."

"When I looked at it now, they really do have similar traits." Gage noted.

"Well, I guess Eren has found his other half, huh?" Armin shrugged, smiling humorously towards Reiner. "I mean, who knows, maybe fate as brought them together."

Reiner nodded in agreement.

Sereak felt a tingling feeling on her left shoulder. When she turned, she caught Mikasa glowering at Sereak's best friend with a dark aura surrounding her body. After finally understanding the sudden look, the girl just sighed with utter annoyance.

"Are you kidding me…" she muttered apprehensively.

***Author's Note: Man, I really had fun writing this chapter. Literally, it was so great to write the OCs. Now for the credit:**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Bulter: .x**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrade Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**Okay, next chapter will be up next week like normal, but we don't get into the Titan action until much later. Instead, well get a little more information from each OC and a small back story of their past. So, if you have time and want to be nice about it, click the review button and support my story. If you don't, the black sky will never be made! Duh, duh, duun!**

**See ya!**

**-Phoenix **


	4. Clash of the Cadets

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Four: Clash of the Cadets **

Under the pouring rain in the early morning, cadets ran through a nearby forest while carry heavy loads on their aching backs. From behind, Commander Keith was the only one who was on horseback and screamed at them to keep moving forward. His threats were a motivation to some, but torture to a majority of them. There were mixed feelings about today, the day where everyone gets graded on their three years of training. Their superiors were ready to see how the hard work paid off.

A blonde boy, however, was unwillingly slacking off. Armin's body wasn't in the best shape to run and bear a heavy pack all at the same time. His loud panting caused Commander Keith to slow his horse down and trot by the boy.

"What's wrong Arlert? You're the only one left behind!" He yelled in his direction. Armin didn't look up. He couldn't even produce words with his throat being so tight. "Is it too heavy for you? Would you like to be the only one not carrying a pack?"

Hearing his harsh words made Armin sprint ahead a little, but it still wasn't enough. Commander Keith rode away from the weak boy, leaving Armin feeling despondent.

"Shit! Give me that Armin!" he heard a hiss. Reiner pulled back from where he was and grabbed the pack off Armin. Swinging it over his other shoulder, he carried two at the same time. Armin was shocked. "At this rate you'll fail."

"B-But if you help me, then you'll fail too!" he reminded him apprehensively.

"Make sure we don't get caught… at least before I change my mind!"

Except they were caught. Keith could hear them from behind, but he didn't attempt to stop them.

'_Reiner Braun. He's strong as an ox and has the will matched. But more than anything, he's earned the trust of his comrades.'_

Armin felt his legs tingle feebly, waking him up a little more. He watched Reiner and compared himself to the big young man. He had to admit, he'll never be that physically strong. It would take a long time to build up that muscle and strength. But wishing for something Armin could never have was pointless. He had to prove to them that he wasn't dead weight. He had to keep trying, even if it killed him.

Forcefully, he reaches for his bag and ripped it away from Reiner. Swinging it around his back, he pushed himself harder with so much effort, he eventually passed Commander Keith. The older man studied the young blonde.

'_Armin Arlert. When it comes to physical strength, he doesn't measure up to soldier standards. But I hear that in classroom lectures, he's shown extraordinary imagination.'_

"Way to go Armin." A voice spoke up ahead. Armin averted his eyes to the source and met Daedre staring at him with applaud. The dark skin boy gave a humorous smile. "I was wondering when you could catch up."

Armin didn't understand how he could be so positive. His eyes revealed so much exhaustion, but he hid it with a gleeful expression. Armin couldn't help but smile back at the optimistic boy and nod.

'_Daedre Moche. An obnoxious, spirit-lifter who's accepted by his other comrades, but lacks self-esteem and intelligences. Sometimes, I wish some of the cadets here could have the same leveled motivation like he does.' _

A couple hours later, in the same forest, a gigantic replica of a wooden titan with a sand sack on the back of its neck stood alone in a quiet area. Within a second, three figures flew to it and slashed their swords, each giving the sack a large gash. There were two boys and one girl. The girl managed to get her cut deeper.

'_Annie Leonhart. The angle of approach of her slashing attack is impeccable. She carves deeply into the target. Personality wise, she tends to be a loner and has trouble cooperating.'_

'_Bertolt Hoover. He's mastered every single skill that's been taught. And I believe he has a lot of potential. But he lack's drive and tends to leave the decisions to others.'_

'_Conrad Gorman. His confidences in both his fighting skill and himself are very high, but his decisions will normally lead to a negative path.'_

Conrad glared down at Annie for following him to this destination. If she wasn't here, he would've had more points than her. The blonde didn't even seem to care about his look and moved on. From afar, Jean cursed under his breath at the sight.

"I can't keep up with them," he muttered angrily. Using his 3D maneuver gear, he flew in the opposite direction. "At this rate, I'll have to earn points by finding the "Titans" first! _I'll_ be the one in the Military Police Brigade!"

'_Jean Kirstein. He has a deep understanding of the vertical maneuvering equipment and excels at exploiting that skill. He can also take in a situation at a moment's glance, but his personality is like a drawn sword, which tends to create conflict.'_

For a while, all Jean saw was endless trees. Little did he know, a certain soul was following him closely behind. No "Titan" was spotted, until now. Jean caught the figure a few yards to his left and quickly went towards it.

"Found one!" he said. "This time, I'll be the one to–" he cut himself off when a sudden presence glided past him. Jean looked closer to see it was Connie!

"Oi! Thanks, Jean!" Connie cried behind him. "I knew following you would work!"

He managed to reach the sack and raised his sword. But before he could attempt to cut through it, an unexpected figure beat him too it. Connie looked at the now slashed up bag in shock.

"Woo-hoo! I did it!" Sasha screamed out victoriously, bounced up and down by her cables.

'_Sasha Blouse. She's talented at operating unconventionally, but her mentality is unfit for organized activity.'_

'_Connie Springer. He's skilled at making right turns but his mind is nowhere near sharp enough.'_

From the other side of the forest, three silhouettes raced to an open Titan replica with a sack uncut. There were two girls and one boy and they were all determined to reach the structure first. The girl with dark auburn hair, Sylvia, taunted the brunette boy, Gage, in order to slow him down.

"What's the hurry Gage? Trying to get enough points to beat that Jaeger bastard?" Gage didn't even acknowledge her since he was too focused to make it to the Titan. Sylvia tried harder. "I don't see why he's so special to you. Is it a rivalry thing or friendship? Are you _in love_ with Eren Jaeger? That would explain it."

"W-What!?" this caught Gage off guard. He abruptly stopped for second and then continued on, now he was behind the two girls. Swinging his head to her direction, he gave the olive skin girl a murderous look. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?" she asked innocently.

"Idiots…" mumbled the third girl, Sereak. She was further ahead from the duo, making her the first one slash a cut into the sack. Sylvia and Gage looked utterly disappointed while Sereak gave them both a furious look. "There's no time for talking in battle, you're only thing to do is to react and stay focused!"

'_Sereak Poljor. A skillful soldier; in battle she uses instinct and sense to achieve her goals and is quick when slaying a titan. Though, it's hard to read her since she has that crossed expression on all the time.'_

'_Gage_ _Butler__. His skills match up to Eren Jaegers unnaturally, but their rivalry is always motivating him to be the best. However, he can be very gullible which others can use as an advantage against him.'_

'_Sylvia Shelton. A strong young girl who uses her swords and words as weapons against others. But her sarcastic attitude causes friction with the other cadets.'_

"Here they come!" a man nearby yelled. Another man on a tree base tugged at a long rope, causing two cut-out Titans to face in the same direction.

A mile ahead from where they were Mikasa was too in a race with a girl that was trying to get ahead of her. Gianne felt her competitive side take over as she soared beside Mikasa closely. Soon, their shoulders brushed, causing them to nudge at each other violently.

"Stay out of my way." Mikasa said, shouldering Gianne.

"You're the one who followed me first! Those Titans are mine!" the golden eyed girl fought back.

Reaching for the first one, Mikasa beat Gianne by an inch and managed to cut the sack deeply. Furious, Gianne raced to the second Titan and let out her anger by slashing a deeper gash. The sack was practically cut in half, even slicing out some wood as well. The two girls eyed each other with fierce looks, Gianne putting more irritation to it.

Eren finally made it to the scene and cuts a small proportion of the remaining.

'_Mikasa Ackerman. Her performance is exemplary in every subject. She is truly a genius of historically unprecedented significance.'_

'_Gianne Starken. The sister of one of humanity's powerful soldier before his death, Kota Starken, she is in the path of taking over his title. She has mastered the skill of the 3D maneuver gear impressively and fights with unnatural strength.'_

'_Both cadets are top of the class and well respected by their comrades, examples of real soldiers. However, it would take a miracle to get those two to cooperate with each other.'_

'_Eren Jaeger. While he lacks outstanding talents, he has improved his grades through outstanding diligence.' _

-:-:-:-

Gage sparred with Antonio through most of his training. He thought they were both equally strong and tall enough to be perfect opponents. As Antonio attempted to stab Gage with his wooden knife, Gage blocked his blow with his left arm and grabbed his shirt. Hooking his foot around his opponent's leg, Gage pulled forward, causing Antonio to fall to the ground. With a gasp from Antonio, Gage brought his right arm up to his opponent's throat while his left hand held down the arm with the knife. After a few seconds, both boys got back up.

"This always gets me tired. Your turn now, right?" Antonio said, breathless. Though, he was hoping Gage would say their training was over.

"Yeah… give me the knife." Gage said.

Antonio handed over the safe weapon, making Gage take his stance. But before either boy could react, Gage's attention was caught when he heard Gianne's voice cry out. Averting his head from Antonio to the redhead, he watched his friend spar with that Gorman boy.

Gianne was flat on her back, coughing the air from her lungs while her face flushed with fury. Conrad stood over her with a cocky smile. She glared at him intensely.

"Let's do it again!"

"Why? So I can kick your ass more?" Conrad said. The mocking tone in his voice was very noticeable.

"Come on! I'm able to beat you, but you always use that same move on me!"

"Then try to find a way to stop me."

"I _am_ trying!" Gianne got up and dusted the sand off her clothes. Her face was pink with a small bruise on her cheek and forehead. She got back into her defensive stance, fist raised high and standing on the balls of her feet. "Go!"

Conrad came at her with his knife. Before his wooden blade could make contact, Gianne pushed his arms away and attempted to sky uppercut him. However, Conrad was too fast, and he managed to move his body out of the way. Twisting his arms back in front of Gianne, his left hand took a handful of her shirt while he rammed his fist into her stomach. With all his strength, he hauled the small girl and swung over his hand, slamming her back down on the floor. Gianne gasped out with pain.

"Dead." he said

"Argh!" she cried, furious about the defeat.

"Ha, I told you. No one can win against that move. You're lucky I didn't have my spear with me." Conrad bragged.

Antonio also took notice of the scene and turned back to Gage. Nervously, he asked his friend, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Gage just noticed the tan boy. "Oh! Y-Yeah why?"

"You just look a little… vexed, that's all." Antonio said.

Gage knew what he meant. While he was watching the two, he felt exceedingly furious that Conrad kept beating Gianne. Normally, it was Gianne who came out victorious, but she wasn't able to find a solution to her opponent's moves. Was it speed or strength? Or both? Gage had those. Over the years, his body and ability have gotten stronger, all due to Antonio, Reiner, and Eren's tips. Maybe he could beat Conrad, they were both the same. When he looked back at the two, Gianne's face was still flushed while Conrad kept mocking her ability. Suddenly, pang of jealously hit Gage's chest, causing him to abandon Antonio and stride over to the pair.

"Gianne!" he cried out.

Gianne heard her name and turned to her friend. When he got closer to them, she looked at him rather worriedly.

"What's wrong Gage? Do you not have a partner?" she asked. Gage kept glaring at Conrad who in return, also glared back at him. "Are you interested in Conrad's fighting too?"

"Yeah." he said, not breaking his staring contest. "Do you mind if I partner up with Conrad? Also, Antonio doesn't have a partner and he's wanted to spar with you for a while."

Antonio snapped back to reality and looked up when he heard his name. "Huh? What about me?"

"Really?" Gianne asked, sounding rather interested.

"Yeah, he would like that."

"Okay sure! Conrad, go easy on Gage okay?" she warned him. Just hearing her say that caused Gage's stomach to twist uncomfortably. Did Gianne not think he was able to take this guy down? For some reason, that got him even angrier. "I'll be back in a while!" And she left, leaving the two boys alone.

Conrad spoke first and offered him the piece of wood, "Do you want the knife first?"

Gage thought about this for a moment. If he took it, he would be able to humiliate him. Gage was pretty quick with it after all, and the opponent is supposed to take the knife away. This would be rather fun. With a sly smile, Gage nodded, "Sure."

They both stood in front of one another in unison with confidence in their eyes. Gage stood in a springing stance.

"Here I go."

With all his might, he pushed forward and rushed quickly towards Conrad. When he was close, he thrust the training knife towards his face. Somehow, he manages to dodge. Furious, Gage kept trying to hit him multiple times in every direction, but his opponent dodged them skillfully. _Why you little piece of…_

He uses his free hand as another advantage. Making a fist, he tried ramming it into Conrad's stomach, but the young man jumped back before it even touched him. Now Gage was getting even more furious. His hot anger began getting the best of him as he tried to come up with a strategy. He suddenly thought of something!

With his right hand, he tried jabbing the knife at Conrad's face, but he expectedly missed. Next, he sung a punch to his side, but he moved away just in time. Gage face lit up victoriously when swiftly crouched down and swung his right leg. The sneak attack caused Conrad to fall down on his back and gasp out.

Rather excited about this, Gage quickly crawled over and put the wooden blade closely to Conrad's throat. The young man looked up at him with hatred. Gage liked that look, he had to admit.

"Dead." Gage said.

The two got up and looked each other in the eyes. This boy was very skilled and very confident in his ability, Gage had to admit. Should Gage be training with him more?

"My turn, give me the knife." Conrad said.

The two got back in their stances again, but this time, Conrad was in a more offensive position. Gage brought his fist up to show he was ready. When he nodded, Conrad ran towards him.

When he was close enough, Gage tried to punch him away, but Conrad was too fast. His arm sprung up quicker than Gage suspected, blocking his blow before he could hit his head. In this position, Conrad took hold of Gage's arm and twisted it behind his back. Letting out an agonizing cry, Gage caused a couple cadets to turn and look at the two.

Conrad brought the wooden blade to his throat and was about to say what Gage thought he would, but, Gage had another idea. He swung his head backwards to hit Conrad's forehead while his free elbow was jabbed right into his stomach.

Conrad unwillingly let go as he moaned and tried to endure the pain. Gage took this opportunity to take the knife, but Conrad quickly swiped it away. Gage fury and irritation increased.

Conrad back away and rapidly went back to his stance. Without hesitation, Gage charged forward to attack, his fist raised high. Before attempting to punch his face, Gage felt a knee digging its way into his stomach and a groaning sound escaping his lips. He tried progressing what had just happened, but his shirt was taken by a hand while a fist placed itself in his stomach. Before Gage knew it, his whole world went upside down for a second until he landed on his back. The sky was right in his view and his spine began to ache terribly. He could feel the wooden blade caressing his throat while Conrad muttered to him, "Dead."

Gage lifted his right hand and gave an upper punch to Conrad's face. "Looks like I resurrected."

-:-:-:-

"Uh, no." Antonio said bluntly.

"What? But Gage told me you wanted to fight!" Gianne said.

"Your boyfriend was just jealous because you were sparring with another guy." Antonio said.

"He's not my– Never mind. But I have no other partner!"

"Well, don't come looking for my help. I'm pretty much done with this martial arts crap." Antonio commented dryly. He turned away from her and walked away. "I'll see you later."

"Antonio, you lazy son of a bitch…" Gianne said to herself rather furiously. She looked around, hoping to find some solo cadets but was unsuccessful. This was bad; she was going to get graded today. If she didn't find a partner soon, then her scoring would be low.

She viewed Eren and Annie as they sparred together. Then, she left him on his rear in shame. Taking this opportunity, Gianne quickly walked over to him. Her eyes were locked on his body, but then, a figure came in her view. The person blocked her path with a hard look.

"Starken." Mikasa said.

"Ackerman." Gianne greeted with a dry tone. She was not in the mood to deal with this girl's crap today; she had more important issues to take care of. When she looked up to spot Eren again, he was already taken by Reiner. A wave of annoyance took control of her mind. "I'm just looking for a partner Ackerman, that's all."

"I know. I don't have one."

"What are you suggesting?" Gianne questioned. The girl kept quiet. Gianne suddenly figured it out. "Oh…" she sighed. "Okay, sure, whatever."

-:-:-:-

"Come on Sylvia, I'm not even trying." Sereak taunted her friend. Her arm was wrapped around her throat while the other wielding the training knife tried to touch the olive skin. Sylvia managed to delay the hit with her left hand as she held her wrist back. "I'm starting to get bored."

"Shut up you bitch! Let me go already!"

"First, say I win."

"…Fine! You win goddam it!" Sylvia said.

Sereak let her go and watch the girl regain her natural color back. Her grey eyes glared in her direction when her pink cheeks disappeared. "And yet, people say you're _easy_."

"Don't believe what others say, unless you know it yourself. Like birds, they all sing songs but–"

"How about you shut up before I plant your face in the dirt?" Sylvia threatened.

Sereak narrowed her eyes, "Fair enough…"

The two took a short break. The sun was burning Sereak's skin, causing sweat to escape from her pores. Her shirt was also sticking to her wet back which she found very irritating. The water was cool, but it didn't seem to satisfy her. Though, water was water so why should she be complaining?

"Go Gage, kick his cute ass!"

Sereak turned her attention to Daedre as he and Connie were watching a fight. She saw Gage and the Gorman boy sparring with each other, but the fight didn't look friendly at all. Actually, it looked rather serious in her opinion. Gage was always able to restrain his temper, but when he couldn't, he was like Gianne, very competitive and hungry for a fight. She could recall the time he sparred with Eren and how the two ended up tying. He was close to defeating him, but Eren had to even the victory so he didn't lose. That fight still pissed Gage off and he kept trying everything he could in order to be better than Eren. Sereak found his obsession rather odd.

"Look at those two!" Sylvia said, interrupting Sereak's thoughts.

"Who?"

"Gianne and Mikasa, they're sparring for the first time." Sylvia pointed in the other direction.

Astonished, Sereak found her best friend trying to stab Mikasa with the training knife. Though, the girl kept dodging rather quickly which angered Gianne even more. With a yell, the redhead drove the knife forward in attempts to stab her stomach, but Mikasa jumped out of the way. Sereak could tell she was actually getting pretty tired. Her low heavy breathing and exhausted eyes were easily to tell.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Sylvia asked.

"Mikasa for sure." Sereak admitted. Her honesty shocked the girl.

"I thought you had faith in your friend."

"I do, but I'm also a realist. Gianne is a very good student when it comes to these kinds of trainings. She's almost at the top of the class. But Mikasa is more skilled than she is." Sereak said.

"So is Gianne." Sylvia said.

"Gianne has learned some techniques from her brother, but she isn't graceful and quick. She's strong, but not fast. If there was a maneuver gear race, Gianne would definitely win."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because she's mastered it rather quickly and knows how to use it the right way. And she also stated that she doesn't like traveling on foot so she's practiced it a lot."

"Of course she did…" Sylvia muttered.

The fight lasted for a while and both girls were beginning to lose their patients. Gianne couldn't take it anymore, and neither could Mikasa. Gianne decided to end this quickly as she tried to hit her opponents face with her fist. That is, until she noticed how Mikasa had the same plan. Both girls froze in their positions before either of them could touch one another. Glaring, they dropped their hands and backed away, Gianne dropping her knife to the ground.

"Starken."

"Ackerman."

"Oh god, they tied." Sylvia said.

They both gave small nods and walked away, ending their lesson. Sereak was impressed with her friend and her behavior. Gianne didn't burst or snap like how she would normally do, she actually took this draw very maturely. Over the years, Gianne had somehow changed her attitude with her enemies slowly. She knew an inappropriate fight would easily get her kicked out, but Sereak didn't expect her to take it so seriously. At that moment, Sereak grew to respect her friend a little bit more.

-:-:-:-

A few days later, everyone was sore and quite exhausted from all the martial arts training. Some, however, weren't even complaining due to their lack of effort. Gianne and her friends sat at a table that was close by Eren's. Looking around, she noticed how the amount of cadets slowly decreased years after year. A part of her felt guilty, but she was also very proud on how far she's come.

Gianne sat next to Gage, who had a black eye after his fight with Conrad. Though, that mark of humiliation didn't seem to lower his self-esteem. Throughout the years, Gage slowly began to harden, physically and mentally. He kept challenging himself more with other cadets stronger than him. Gianne was proud of her friend, but at the same time, a little upset about it.

"How's your back feeling?" Daedre asked Gage.

"Oh! It's fine." Gage said, chuckling a little. "It's just a little sore."

"Aren't we all sore from this?" Sylvia spoke up, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. "I mean, come on, this isn't exactly Heaven."

"Of course not, but it's definitely making me a little more muscular than before." Daedre said. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to show off his bicep. It wasn't as big as Gage's, but it was pretty noticeable. "I should get a tattoo. Wouldn't that make me look tougher?"

"It'll make you look less girly." Sereak said out loud.

"Sereak has two tattoos on her back!" Gianne cried out. "Before we came here, she got them from a tattoo parlor."

"Of what?" Sylvia asked her.

"A wolf and a bear."

"I'm not surprised…" she muttered to herself. Sereak heard her and gave her a look.

From afar, the group heard Jean talking to his friend Marco and another boy Gianne didn't know. He was unseemly loud for some reason as he bragged to the boys. "At times like that you should rev it up, just for a second. That way you use the inertia and don't consume as much fuel. Of course, that kind of move can't be pulled off by just _anyone_…"

"Wow, you make it sound so simple." one boy said in amazement.

"Sure, it's not something anyone can master." Jean said as he looked towards Eren's table.

_Is he trying to impress Eren_, Gianne was wondering. She watched Sereak look utterly disgusted while both Daedre and Sylvia sighed with annoyance.

"Someone should put a sock in that showoff's mouth." Sylvia said.

"I fully agree…" Sereak said.

Jean began to increase his voice volume to the point where even Antonio, who sat with Annie four tables away from Jean's, looked back with his left eye twitching. Gianne also saw Conrad and Reiner glancing up at Jean.

"But it's still worth remembering if you're trying to get in to the Military Police."

"What's so great about the Military Police anyway? They're not the real heroes." Gianne muttered to Gage angrily. For a second, she thought of Wet and Smoke. They were both unworthy to be soldiers, and yet, Wet saved her life while Smoke did the same for Gage and Sereak. Would the Military Police do that for the public if their interior was invaded by Titans? Or would they just run and hide?

"Of course not, but you shouldn't start a fight about it." Gage said warningly. "Besides, you don't want to abuse animals, right?"

Gianne gave him a puzzled look until she finally understood. Within a second, she gave a warm giggle. "I guess you're right, I don't like beating up horses. And Sereak would kill me if I did."

Sereak quickly looked up when she heard her name, "What?"

"Nothing." Gage said smiling.

Suddenly, Eren spoke up. Everyone turned their attention to him.

"So, interior life is simple and comfortable?" he asked Jean. "Five years ago, this place was also part of the interior."

"What's your point Eren?" Jean turned to him.

"Jean, you're such a simpleton, you'd be comfortable wherever you go." Eren said. This caused a lot of snickers to erupt the silence. Even Sereak smiled at the insult.

"Dammit…" Jean turns back to Eren angrily. Eren was quite happy he took his bait.

"Don't you think it's crazy? Learning how to kill Titans just so you can run away from them in the end?"

"You bring that up _now_? This sham should be kept going for my sake if nothing else!" Jean glared at Eren.

_How dare he say that, _his words made Gianne snap back to her defensive self. Without a second thought, she stood up and walked right up to him. Before Jean knew it her knuckles made contact with his jaw, causing his head to spin to the side.

"You son of a bitch!" she screamed at him. She felt Eren standing beside her, also glaring down at Jean.

Marco and the other boy looked rather shocked by what had happened. Others began muttering amongst themselves, sounding unsurprised by this sudden conflict.

"There she goes again…"

"And Eren's gonna be a part of it too."

"Of course he is. Those three combined is just a disaster waiting to happen."

Jean rotated his head back to them both; a bright red mark was now swelling on his bottom cheek. He looked at the duo with a murderous glare. He then stood up and roughly grabbed Gianne's shirt with both his hands. Surprised, Gianne felt her shirt lift up, exposing those large scars on her stomach and back.

"You little_ bitch_! Why can't you just fucking mind your own business!" he screamed in her face.

"Hey, let go!" Gianne screamed back. She could feel his hot breath on her skin.

"No! I should teach you a lesson for butting into other people's conversations!"

"Gianne!" she heard Gage call to her.

"Jean, leave her alone!" Sereak cried to him. Her fangs started to expose themselves to the world as her looked of fury got even darker.

"Hey Jean, let her go!" Eren ordered, trying to rip the two apart.

"Fuck you, asshole!" Jean spat at him.

This got Eren even more furious as he tried to help his friend out. He looked to Mikasa and Armin for support, but Armin was too traumatized while Mikasa didn't even seem to care. Eren looked back at Jean's hot red face as he kept glaring daggers at Gianne. Suddenly, a realization came to him. He now understood.

Finally breaking Jean's fist off Gianne's shirt and pushing her away, Eren grabbed his wrist while his free hand shoves Jean's face away. Lifting his foot, Eren kicks Jean's legs and pushed his chest down, causing him to fall on his back. The entire room was filled with gasps.

"That hurt!" Jean cried, rubbing his head with his hand. "What the hell was that?!"

"That was a move I learnt while you were slacking off." Eren looks down on him with a serious expression. "If you think reality is just living a comfortable life and following your own whims, can you seriously dare call yourself a soldier?"

Gianne switched her shock off and backed Eren up. "Hmph. Way to snap him out of his thought… I'm pretty sure that_ helped_ him." She looked back at Eren as the two silently smiled to each other.

"Tsk… you lil' shit…" Jean glared at them both.

Unexpectedly, the door slowly began to creak open. As it did, half of Keith's face was revealed with a grim expression. The scene was so terrifying a girl squeaked with fear and looked away.

"I thought I heard some kind of loud noise in here. Someone care to tell me what's going on?" he asked in a low voice.

Gianne quickly went back to her table and sat with Sereak. Jean and Eren went back to their own seats. All three of them were sweating anxiously. Gianne looked to Sereak for any help, but the dark haired girl kept her head down, as did Daedre, Gage, and Sylvia. Mikasa raised her hand slightly high.

"It was Sasha. She ripped a big fart." she said.

"Eh?" Sasha exclaimed.

"You again?" Keith asked harshly as he covered his nose. A few people restrained their laughter and tried to keep straight faces on. Gianne looked back at Mikasa, but the girl didn't even make contact with her stare.

"Ah!" Sasha stumbled, looking completely dumbfounded.

"That's what happens when you make a bad impression on the first day…" Sylvia muttered to herself.

"Learn some self-control!" Keith snapped at her. He turned away and closed the door, silencing the whole room again.

Soon, everyone exploded with laughter. Sasha vigorously went up to Mikasa, demanding why she would put the blame on her. Mikasa managed to silence her by shoving her loaf of bread in her mouth. Eren and Jean kept glaring at each other while Gianne sighed with relief. She turned to Sereak who kept playing with her food. She didn't meet her friends gaze for a whole minute. Something was wrong.

"What's the matter with you Sereak?" she asked. The girl turned her daggering look towards her, looking much meaner than she has been all day.

"I sometimes think _you_ should learn some _self-control_." she said. Quickly as possible, Sereak got up from her seat and walked away from the table. She dumped the rest of her food with the other waste and exited the mess hall. Gianne stood there, looking completely lost.

She turned to Gage, "What did I do now?"

"Don't worry about it…" he said. "But she is right."

"Right about what?"

"How you can't seem to control yourself."

"So?" she spat venomously.

"I'm just saying…" he sighed. "Never mind."

***Author's Note: I'm sorry for making this chapter shorter than the others but I have my reason. I'm pretty sick right now and didn't want to even look at my computer all week. You all should be thankful that I even updated today! I'm kidding, but all joking aside, I'm sorry and I hope you can forgive me. Please review and support and tell your friends about me (Okay, you don't have to do that last one). Hope you enjoyed and have a nice day!**

**Also quick announcement, a member of this story, FlyBoy56 (a.k.a Gage Butler) as created his own story that will have his character, Gianne Starken (my character), and Antonio Rodrigues (crankiestnebula) in it. Its call AoT: Revolutionary Response and it's just starting out, but in my opinion, I expect create things to come out of it. So please, go to his profile, go read his first chapter, and support!**

-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34

-Gage Bulter: FlyBoy56

-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf

-Daedre Moche: Pixpi

-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10

-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula

-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893

**-Phoenix**


	5. True Soldiers Now

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Five: The True Soldiers Now**

Gianne was very pleased to be one of the Grad Ranks for graduation. She thought all her hard work and training really paid off, including her early tips from her brother. Though, she was not enjoying the fact that Mikasa was the first Grad Rank. They were both equals, and yet, she was two cadets down from her.

"Hands upon your hearts!" Keith orders.

"Yes!" everyone yells.

In their perfectly straight line, all the top ten cadets slammed their fists upon their chest while the other went behind their backs. It was the military salute everyone, at this moment, was proud to do. After three years of muscles and bones turning to hard stones, the rest of the cadets that didn't get cut accomplished something great. Each one of them felt powerful, as if they could take on any Titan that came in their path. Gianne felt her insides twist with excitement while she held back her smile.

The top ten were on a concrete platform, being looked down upon by the other Commanders. The rest of the graduates were below in parallel lines, with tight faces and still postures. One commander with neat blond hair in a large brown coat stood next to Keith Shadis while he talked.

"For you trainees graduating today, three paths now open before you. You can be stationed at the walls and defend the cities as members of the Garrison. You can put yourself on the line to fight the Titans in their territory as members of the Survey Corps. And you can serve the King by controlling the crowds and protecting the order as part of the Military Police Brigade."

The other top ten Grad Ranks were lined up beside Gianne on her right. The order was rather simple and very surprising.

Mikasa

Reiner

Bertolt

Gianne

Annie

Gage

Eren

Jean

Marco

Conrad

If Gianne remembered correctly, Sereak came in eleventh, but she didn't see any signs of disappointment on her friends face. Sereak didn't have a desire to even be part of the Military Police; her only goal was to be in the Garrison. Though, Gianne knew she was a very skilled soldier that deserved more applause.

The Commander continued, "Of course, only the top ten Grad Ranks we had announced earlier are allowed in the Military Police and have the privilege of living in the Inner District!"

That wasn't going to be Gianne though. She already hated these walls, so why would she go and hide behind the interior ones? She longed to be free from them. They were already suffocating the life out of her. The Survey Corps is her only goal she aimed for after her brother died. And she still wasn't going to give up making the black sky.

-:-:-:-

Everyone celebrated that night.

"I did it! I'm in the Military Police!"

"We'll never worry about food again!"

Cups and jugs were tapped together and chatters were heard, resonating through the large mess hall. Like everyone else, Sereak was enjoying her time by sitting alone at a table. Gianne and Gage were talking to their schoolmates while Daedre and Sylvia were drinking through the night. There were laughs and cheers heard all around that managed to melt Sereak's scowl to a calm expression. As she took a sip of her drink, a visitor came by. He sat on the other bench with a cup in his hand and a grim look painted on his face. Sereak's scowl returned when she learned it was Jean.

"Why am I below Eren? That damn bastard…" he took a sip of his cup, unaware of the girl's glare she was giving him.

"You're just not good enough, that's why." Sereak said.

Jean seemed to realize how Sereak was also sitting at this table and sighed with frustration. "Are you fucking kidding me…" he muttered.

"If you're not pleased, then go away."

"You know," he said. "I would understand why _you_ are below me, but how come that Starken bitch is higher up? Why am I below _that_ crazy wench!?"

Sereak felt her jaw tighten and lock in place, her fangs edging to show off and scare Jean away. Except she knew what he was doing, he was trying to get her angry and pick a fight with him. He was too focused on the fact that Eren and Gianne had beaten him and he wanted to prove how he was the bigger man again. She knew his trick, and she knew how to counter it. With a deep breath, she answered rather bluntly.

"Like I said, you're just not good enough. You care too much about your own well-being and forget how a real soldier should act. I'm quite surprised you didn't get kicked out for your selfishness. You show it to the whole world, but didn't you say before that you were an honest man? Oh, and you may be strong, but your academics are shit."

"Who cares about that crap? It only matters if you're physically strong!" Jean said.

"Then I guess you'll be the first one to die when you encounter a Titan." Sereak said.

Jean's eyes narrow furiously. "What did you say?"

"Strategy is important too, idiot." she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! Don't you call me an idiot, idiot! You're the one–"

"Oh, and you're stupid attitude causes conflict with the others, which is another reason why you don't have many companions with you. And no, Marco is only with you because he feels bad."

"Why you–"

"But why am I saying this to you? I mean, I should be kissing the floors you walk on because you ranked… eighth. Poor me for getting eleventh…"

"Stupid?" he exclaimed, unconsciously forgetting her last comment. "What do you mean my stupid attitude? It fine, for your information! Is it bad to be an honest person?!"

He slammed his hands on the table, but it didn't manage to startle Sereak at all. She actually grew rather annoyed by his childish behavior and sighed. _Does he ever know when to calm down_, she asked herself. Looking towards her friends, they were oblivious to her stare as they paid more attention to the other cheerful cadets. Maybe it would've been better if she joined them instead of staying to the side like the lone wolf she was. Though, she was determined to finish this unnecessary fight with Jean.

"You're _too_ honest, in my opinion and that's not very healthy for someone. That's why you cause conflicts with so many people."

"Why you annoying little piece of– Mmf?!" Sereak cut him off by shoving her loaf of bread in his mouth. He was too stunned to take it out.

"Finally, some peace…" she sighed.

-:-:-:-

Gage didn't like the way Thomas was talking to Eren. Both Gianne and him over heard their conversation and turned to their direction. He peeked towards Gianne who had a rather grim look as she listened. Antonio also walked beside the two to get closer to the scene.

"You know well…" Thomas said. "You know just how many they're eaten already. We've lost twenty percent of the entire population already. Humanity doesn't stand a chance against them"

"Is this guy serious?" Gianne said, a growl escaping her throat.

There was silence throughout the whole room. No one bothered to raise their voice, except for Eren.

"So?" Eren said back in a rather stern voice. "You're just giving up because you think you can't win?"

Thomas was lost for words. "Well…"

"It's true. We've only suffered defeats so far. That's because we hardly knew anything about them! We can't defeat them using mere numbers. We may have lost, but the knowledge we gain from those battles is our guiding beacon of hope. Yet you'd discard the tactical progress bought by hundreds of thousands of sacrifices, just so you can serve yourself up on a silver platter? You've got to be kidding me! I'll kill every last one of them and break out of these walls! That's my dream! Humanity hasn't lost yet!"

Eren clenches on to his fist like he's holding on to something for dear life. His teal eyes begin to shine with tears as he waits for someone to speak up. When no one dare's to breathe out a single word, he turns away and leaves, Mikasa and Armin loyally following him from behind.

"Wait, Eren!"Armin calls out. He disappears with Mikasa after they run out the door.

Silence filled the room again. Soon, it broke with chatters and low mutters.

"That was deep." Antonio said. "Even Daedre looks utterly mesmerized by his words."

The three of them noticed the short boy thinking to himself. His dark skin seemed to turn even darker while his eyes were trained to the floor, as if he was having a staring contest with it. The diamond in his ear glittered in the light, untouched and always protected. Sylvia just rolled her eyes and muttered, "What a fucking crybaby…"

"Sylvia never liked Eren that much." Gage said. "She thought his attitude was such a bother."

"Does she like anyone at all?" Antonio asked. Gage was baffled by his question.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, does she have an eye for someone? Or is she looking for someone?" he asked again, sounding a little too curious. It took Gage a second to understand where he was coming from. The realization caused him to sigh with annoyance.

"Are you serious man?"

"Hey, I can't help what I like." Antonio shrugged.

"What are you too talking about?" Gianne asked, puzzled by their conversation.

"Antonio has an eye for Sylvia." Gage said.

"What do you mean, he has an_ eye_? Explain that to me." she said sternly.

This caused him to sigh again. "I forgot… you don't really understand things that much."

"What are you saying? Are you suggesting that I'm stupid?!" Gianne exclaimed with extreme fury. Her body began to tense while she put her fists up.

Antonio laid a hand on her shoulders to calm her down. "Hold your horses wild fire, he didn't mean it like that. I just have a small thing for Sylvia, that's all. Though," he winked at her and put a finger to his mouth. "Try not to tell anyone okay?"

"You do?" Gianne asked, shocked.

Gage thought she was so innocent when it came to understanding the simple things like that. She was too straightforward and hardheaded that she would miss the little details. That was his friend, after all, and he needed to help her no matter what. Though, he had to admit, he did like the way she did her hair now a days. It was always in a half ponytail, getting the strands out of her face while decorating her red crown at the same time. It made her look fierce and more like a soldier, but it also made her look attractive.

Sereak walked up to the three of them, while Jean kept yelling out harsh things about her. A loaf of bread was in his hands. "What are you three talking about?"

"Sereak, this is quite a surprise." Antonio said. "Normally you're always having a fun time in the shadows."

"Shut up." Gianne growled at him.

"No, it's fine Gianne." Sereak said calmly, her scowling unfading.

Gage was actually taken back by her sudden appearance. Normally, she would always stay away from people, so what caused her to change her mind?

"I just needed to get away from horse-face over there." Sereak pointed her thumb in his direction. "He's been getting on my nerves."

"Hey Sereak, I forgot to ask." Antonio said. "Where are you going? Gianne and Gage said they were joining the Survey Corps."

"I plan on making my way to the Garrisons." she answered.

"Just like your father?" Gianne asked.

"Yeah, just like my father. I want to live his life."

For some reason, the way Sereak said that made Gage's stomach twist. It's been five years already after the first attack and now look where they are. He became a strong soldier while his friends stayed right beside him. He was sixth in the Grad Rank and still managed to beat Eren. The path he was about to take held a mysterious future for him. Whatever happens though, he hoped for a rather normal life. Seeing Sereak at the Garrisons, protecting Gianne as much as he could, meet new people, and killing Titans was all in his agenda. He didn't want that plan to be ruined.

-:-:-:-

The Trost District was very crowded. It was more flatlands than Shiganshina. Though, the city kept reminding Gianne of her old home.

Today was the new recruits first day in the military and the first mission they sent them was to supervise Trost and clean the wall. Gianne was rather irate about this order, she hoped for a better one. Though, it wasn't her decision to make them. All she had to do was follow.

It was also the day the elite Survey Corps were going on their next mission. The civilians crowded to either side of the rode to watch them ride by. Erwin Smith was at the lead as he rode his fine, grey horse. Gianne remembered the letter he sent her. The one about Kota's death. How he was missing in action. _He should be riding beside them right now… _

"They're here! The main forces of the Survey Corps!" one main called out.

"Commander Erwin, kill the Titans for us!"

"Look, it's Captain Levi! They say he's as strong as an entire army."

Gianne looked towards the man with the stylish undercut. The expressionless look he gave made Gianne wonder if he was either serious or unsatisfied. Kota used to praise about him all the time.

"This is totally different than five years ago…" Eren muttered with excitement. "There are more people who have high hopes for the Survey Corps."

"Everyone seems to be in a more positive mood." Gianne said.

"Of course they are. There hasn't been any incident in five years." Gage said. "They've upgraded most of their weaponry. I heard they've improved to fix the cannons. Maybe if we're lucky, the Titans won't come to bother us again."

"You can't seriously believe that, stupid." Eren said sternly.

"Hey!" Gage slapped in on the arm. "Watch who you're talking too."

Sereak began to tug on Gianne's arm.

"What?" she asked.

"Look who it is." Sereak said as she pointed to a large man walking up to them. He was easily recognized as the trio smiled with joy. Trotting away from Eren and his friends, the trio met up with the short, wide man with light hair.

"Smoke!"

He stopped in front of the three. His appearance was greatly different than before. He lost more weight and his face looked less yellow. "Well if it isn't Gianne, Sereak, and Gage. How are you three? I heard you just graduated from the Trainee Corps."

"Yep, we're officially soldiers now." Gianne said, her pride boosting higher.

"That's great, I'm so proud of you all." he said. "And by the way, my name is Hermes. I think you're all mature enough to lose the silly nicknames."

"I guess..." Gianne said.

"You look great Hermes." Gage commented. "I see you stopped storing your beer in your stomach."

"Of course! The Garrisons have been extremely important to the cities now and they need all the help they can get. I've even quit my smoking addiction and moved on to mints." Hermes picked out a piece of candy from his pocket and popped it in his mouth. As we sucked, he said. "It's a much healthier choice."

"Now you're name will be Mint instead of Smoke." Gianne said playfully. She came to notice something important. "Oh! Is Wet here too?"

"She means Norman." Sereak clarified.

Hermes halted in place. With a grim expression, he sighed with displeasure. "...He didn't make it that day. He was swallowed before the Wall Maria was breached."

Gianne made a hissing sound as she sucked in the air. A weight of sorrow dropped down and landed in her stomach. She didn't like this feeling.

"I'm so sorry. He was a good man." Sereak said in a hushed voice.

"He was a good soldier. He sacrificed himself to save you." he pointed to Gianne. "Even though he was a poor protector, he died a hero. That's something you should remember him for."

"Yes sir..." she said.

Hermes looked harder at her face. "Now I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, I just wanted you to know that he wasn't just dead weight. He did his best to help humanity and save a little girl. Do you understand?"

"Of course!"

His warm smile returns back to its place. "It's good to see you three all grown up. I can't believe life has gone by so quick."

"We should make every minute count." Sereak said.

"Of course." he agreed. "Though ever minute, I'm trying to be a better man than I was before."

-:-:-:-

Gianne stretched her arms up high and felt a great gust of wind whip her whole body. The breeze played with her red hair and cooled her hot face. A sweet scent was inhaled in deeply as she took in the earth's fragrance. Trost was behind her, loud and crowded while the wild was in front, quiet and full of serenity. The ground felt so small below her and the clouds were so close, Gianne thought she touch them. A great feeling ran through her body as another gust slammed into her. The air was fresh and full of life. From above the wall, Gianne felt like the almighty himself.

"Oh god!" she cried out. "This is so fun!"

"You seem a little _too_ overly excited about this." Eren said. He and Samuel were cleaning a cannon that was mounted on a road of tracks.

"You have no idea how great this feels guys." Gianne said, still being pleasured by the currents of the air. "This is so much better than climbing trees. I can actually breathe!"

"You should be careful though." Daedre warned. "We don't want to see you falling to your death on the first day."

"Oh shut up!"

Suddenly, a presence appeared. Everyone turned to see Sasha with a wild look on while she hid something in her jacket. She took it out and everyone gasped. Thomas was the first to talk.

"Is that meat?" he asked.

"Y-Yes…" Sasha said rather lustfully. The blushes on her cheeks were unfading.

"Did you steal it?" Mina asked.

"Yes, so we can all share." Sasha walked over to a box beside the cannons and stored her meat. "It was one of the good ones, and something like that shouldn't be gone to waste."

"But the amount of meat we have today is pretty low. After Wall Maria was taken over, there hasn't been a lot of livestock to save." Daedre said.

"Is it because there's not enough room?" Eren asked.

Daedre blushed with embarrassment and looked away from his gaze. "Um, well… it was something like… that."

"Sasha, you better save me some of that meat before you eat it all!" Gianne order her.

"Yeah, me too!" Samuel said.

"And me! I haven't eaten this morning because I woke up late." Connie admitted.

"Way to go Connie. First day and you're already doing terrible at this soldier job." Daedre mocked him with a smile.

"Shut up jewelry boy!"

Gianne walked up to Eren who ignored the crowd. He looked over on Trost with a ghost smile his lips curved into. The way he stared at it made Gianne a little confused. She figured he was happy about graduating as a soldier, but something else was on his mind.

"What are you thinking Eren?"

He turned his teal eyes towards her and grinned wider. "How life is just so… great right now."

"I can see that."

"I'm just…" he turned back to the city. "I'm just so proud of myself and everyone else. We've went a long way to get to where we are now and it just makes me feel good. You know what I'm saying?"

Gianne had to admit it, but he was right. The world felt so balanced this moment. There hasn't been another accident in five years and the cities were still running smoothly. The old soldiers were much more mature and disciplined than they were before and the new ones were starting out a great year. Gianne felt certainly excited about the Survey Corps. She could hardly wait to go out to the opening and riding through all the fields and forest to hunt for Titans. Looking back at her leather bracelet with the beads, she smiled the same way Eren did. _You should be proud Kota_, she thought to herself, _your sister is now a soldier. _

Out of nowhere, Gianne felt a terrible pain stab into her head and she cried out desperately. Falling to her knees, she clenched the sides of her head so hard that her fingernails began digging into her scalp.

A crack of lighting suddenly appeared.

Everyone turned their faces to the titanic, skinless head that stared at them.

Before anyone could respond, smoke of hot gas sprayed out of the Colossal Titan very powerfully. This caused each young adult to get pushed to the edge of the wall and let gravity pull do its duty.

-:-:-:-

"Oh my god…" Sereak gasped with disbelief. "It's here again…"

The crack of lightning shot out abruptly seconds ago to reveal the monster that caused humanity's total disaster. It was just as Sereak remembered, gigantic, mountain height, red, and sinful. She was too caught up in this powerful Titan that she didn't realize the commotion that was going on around her. People were already in a panic. Her classmates were even shitting their pants.

"Shit shit shit shit!" Sylvia kept repeating as she backed away.

"No, no, NO! Why now? Why today?!" Jean shouted and ran.

"Gianne!" Gage cried out desperately. Sereak watched her friend turn on his 3D maneuver gear and fly away from the group. He was heading towards the wall.

"Gage wait!" Antonio called to him. He looked green with nausea and nervousness. The small sweats from his hair dripped down the sides of his face as he looked at the godly Titan. Though, it took enough courage for him to swallow down his fear and chase after the boy. "Gage!"

Sereak unconsciously followed the both of them, having no idea what else to do. The 3D maneuver gear glided her from house to house. She couldn't help but look back down at the people in their panic state. _It's just like before,_ she thought, _but only this time, we'll be prepared._

It took ten minutes to finally get to the wall and she noticed the handful of soldiers that were dangling from their cords. She spotted a sight of red and automatically flew in that direction. "Gianne!" she called out to her.

The red head looked unconscious as she was held by none other than Gage. She was resting in his arms while he flew down to the roof tops. The boy landed clumsily on the tiles while Sereak managed to keep her balance. When the trio was together, Sereak went closer to her friend.

"Is she okay?" she asked.

"She's alive!" Gage said. "And awake."

Sereak took Gianne's arms and started to slap her. That caused the red head to snap her eyes open with utter shock. "You idiot! Why are you acting like a damsel in distress?"

"My mind was in serious pain again and I couldn't focus!"

"What do you mean your mind was in serious pain?" Sereak asked suspiciously. She could recall the day the Colossal Titan came to Shiganshina, but before that, Gianne had a sudden migraine that made her scream as if she was being murdered.

"I had another terrible headache!" she said. With a gasp, she held her head again. Screaming was making it worse. They both needed to stop.

"Is she okay?" Antonio landed beside them.

"Yeah, of course." Gianne said.

"Where's Eren?" Gage asked.

Antonio pointed up. The rest of the dangling soldiers were coming down one by one. However, Connie and Thomas went up to the wall to check on the situation. When Sereak looked closer, the shadow of the titan was unseen. "He's up there, but the Colossal Titan isn't."

"What do you mean?" Gianne asked.

"Guys!" Daedre flew down to them. By the look on his face, he looked extremely horrified. "The Colossal Titan made another hole and it vanished! The Titans are getting in! Trost is under attack!"

-:-:-:-

"You recruits have completed training and have graduated into proper soldiers." a Garrison soldier calls out. "I expect you to actively participate in this operation as well."

Sereak thought she was one of the only people who actually heard him correctly. HQ was filled with soldiers young or old. They ran around the area as they filled up their gas tanks one at a time. Sereak thought of a herd of chickens that were in a panic, rushing around one place to the next, clueless. Alone she was as she filled up her tank, but she needed this time to herself.

The wall of Trost was now crippled with a new hole and the Titans were likely coming in right now. Even if she wasn't showing it, Sereak was exceedingly scared. To be a Garrison soldier, you had to protect the city and wall from the enemy. But why did it feel so ironic to her?

Was it because her father fought in Shiganshina when it got terrorized? Is it fate that made her have to deal with this mess? Was she destined to die?

"Daedre, will you please calm down!" Gianne's voice was heard.

Sereak looked to her friend's direction and found her trying to comfort the boy. Daedre was slouching in a corner with his knees close to his chest while his arms hugged around them. Rocking back and forth with a traumatized look, he kept muttering. "This is just like before... This is going to be Shiganshina all over again... I can't live like this... I can't! I'm weak!"

"Daedre!" Gianne's hard voice startled him. The boy managed to look to her with curiosity. In Sereak's eyes, he looked nothing more than a child. A puzzled and frighten child. "Daedre, you shouldn't think about that now. If you do, than your death is going to come much quicker than you expect. You shouldn't be scared."

"I can't help it..."

"Yes you can! Didn't you say on the first day that you wanted to eliminate the Titans? You said that right in Keith Shadis face while he verbally abused you. You shouldn't be scared, you should be happy. You should be excited that these bastards are here because than, you can take your revenge on them for Shiganshina." Daedre just stared at her. "Doesn't this make you feel angry that they interrupted our peace? I'm sure you feel that way right now. So don't hide away like a scared little coward, get up and fight off those terrorist!"

Sereak was stunned while she listened. It was like the words just magically appeared from thin air. They were coming out of her friend's mouth. It was just like her fight with Mikasa, she was being a true soldier. Gianne really has matured into a fine young woman.

Daedre looked away and nodded apprehensively. "Okay."

"Sereak!" Sylvia called out to her. Turning towards her direction, Sereak witnesses Sylvia kneeling by a the gas tanks. It looked like she was struggling. "Get over here and help me! I think this tank is jammed."

At first, she didn't feel the need to help. Sylvia was a smart girl do fix it herself. Expect, there was no time for that. Everyone was rushing to get out of HQ and find out what to do next. Sereak knew Sylvia was in quite a hurry and she needed an extra hand. "Here." she said and walked over.

Sylvia was right, there was something wrong with the tank. When she turned the gas on, nothing came out of the faucet. The pressure gauges arrows danced around uncontrollably. It took a few minutes for Sereak's patients to be thrown away, causing her to shake the tank.

"What the hell?" she said.

"I should go to another one." Sylvia suggested.

Sereak kicked the tank hard. "Yeah, you should. This stupid piece of junk isn't cooperating with us."

"Are you an idiot?" Jean yelled. Somehow, her kick caused the horse face to burst with fury. "Don't break the tank! Everyone needs it! Are you trying to kill us?"

"It's not working dumbass." Sereak replied. She pointed to the pressure gauges arrows that moved back and forth to prove it. "Is it a crime to be irritated?"

"Just shut up okay! I had enough of this sharp attitude you have!" Jean cried.

"Why are you even talking to me anyway?" she asked, her voice dry.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up. Chill the fuck out and mind your own business," Sylvia said.

"Are you two serious? Why would I be chill at a time like this? I was supposed to go to the interior today but instead, I have to deal with a couple little bitched who aren't even taking this seriously!"

This set Sereak off. He thought they were fooling around and ignoring this whole situation. What was his problem? How dare he judge them. As Sereak's face darkened more, she walked up to Jean and took his collars in her hands. Gripping them tightly, she stunned the young man after bring his face closer to hers. Her hard green eyes glared deeply into his own. She voice was low and venomous.

"Listen jerk-off, my face might not be showing it but I am completely serious about what's going on. Hell, I think I'm more serious then you. You think this is a game? You think I like having Titans attack humanity? Well, you're wrong. So don't fucking judge people."

"Sereak, we don't have time for this." Sylvia interrupted.

Jean replied to Sereak with his scowl. It wasn't as horrifying as hers, but Sereak was able to see how infuriated he was. She wasn't sure if it was because of the Titans, or her, or even both. Except, she didn't care at all. She didn't even care if he got eaten. People like him were going to die if they kept acting like they were smarter than everyone else. If they kept acting like the world focused them. Jean was surely going to meet his end faster than he thinks.

It took a few seconds to let go of Jean's shirt. The two kept glowing at one another until they broke it off. Sereak could tell she won that fight, Jean just didn't want to accept that. Soon, he grunted and left after Marco called to him. She really dislike that honest guy.

-:-:-:-

"Just like in training, split into your specific squads. You will be under Garrison command!"

All the new recruits lined up in parallel lines in the dirt fields of HQ. Gage stood right next to Antonio and Sylvia while the Garrison Captain, Kitts Verman, announced his orders. His eyes were wide and looked frozen in place. Gage wonder if this was his normal look.

"Your duties are to assist in providing supplies, communication, and killing the Titans! The first line of defense will be the frontline unit of the Garrison! The rearguards will be the Garrison's elite units! We've already received word that the vanguard has been obliterated!"

Gage heard Sylvia hiss in a breath and look down to the floor with doubt. Antonio looked normal, which was a little off to his personality. He should've been frightened for the outcome of today, just like Gage and everyone else. Though, Gage knew better than to worry about him right now.

"The outer gate is destroyed, and the Titans have trespassed on to city grounds! This means the Armored Titan might appear at any moment to breach the inner gate!"

Gage suddenly had a flashback of that Titan's thundering steps and ultimate destruction it did to Wall Maria. That happened five years ago, he said to himself. Was history about to repeat again? He heard the others mutter to one another nervously.

"That's..."

"No way..."

"Even if Wall Rose falls..."

"Silence!" the Captain shouts. Everyone quickly pays attention to him again. "The frontline guards are already in combat! There is but only one goal in this defensive operation: defend Wall Rose until every civilian is evacuated. Also, in case you've forgotten, let me remind you, that betrayal is capital offense. Vow on your hearts to devote your lives! Dismissed!"

"Yes sir!" everyone shouts back and salutes. Some were determined. Others were anxious. The first battle was about to begin.

Gage abandoned Antonio and Sylvia to go look for Gianne. They weren't in the same squad, but he could try to find a way to sneak in to hers. He vowed to protect her after all, and he wasn't about to break that.

There were so many terrible sights he witnessed from each young soldier. Some were crouched in corners crying their eyes out. Others were hacking out their breakfast from too much stress and the fear of dying. _No one wants to die, even the bravest soldiers_, he thought. When he finally spotted a shade of red, he jogged up to discover her talking with Conrad.

"I can't believe this is happening..." Conrad muttered angrily while he placed his blades in his metal scabbard. "Doesn't this seem a little unusual to you?"

"What do you mean?" Gianne asked.

"I mean, why now? Out of all the years the Colossal Titan could've attacked, it just had to choose today. I just find it a little ironic, that's all." he said. "It's gonna suck trying to kill a Titan with a short spear, so I guess these blades will have to do."

"You're tenth in the Grad Rank, so I'm sure you'll be fine." Gianne encouraged, unknowingly making Gage's temper rise.

"Says the fourth person in the Grad Rank. They won't be looking up me for help."

"Then maybe they should." she said.

Conrad smile a little. "Sure airhead, whatever. Good luck to you." he said and turned to walk away.

"You too!" Gianne called back.

Gage took this opportunity to walk up to her, but that chance was ruined when Daedre called out to him. "Gage! The squads here! It's time to go!"

"Gage?" Gianne turned to him. "Is something wrong?"

This was his chance. He could just abandoned his squad right now and stay with Gianne. That was his plan, he needed to protect her. Even if she was higher in the Grad Rank, he was still physically stronger.

He looked back at his squad. Daedre, Antonio, and a couple other young soldiers were waiting for him. Their faces were masked with desperation, almost longing for him to join them. They were soldiers, they didn't need his help. Though, why did he feel ashamed to even think that? They needed someone to guide them through this day. Gianne was capable of taking care of herself. Gage just wanted to be with her, but even he had to make unwanted sacrifices.

"N-No, not at all..." Gage muttered. "I just... wanted to wish you luck. But if you need any help come find me... and Sereak too."

"Gage, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." she said, almost a little too defensively.

"I'm just say, that if you do, come find either of us."

"But that's stupid because I'm much stronger than you."

"Gage let's go!" Daedre called to him again. Gage didn't even bother to turn back. He was more focused on Gianne and her stubbornness.

"I see... Well, if you're sure about that–"

"I am!"

"Let me finish, dammit! If you're sure about that, than try to not get yourself killed." he said. Gianne grinned wildly.

"Don't worry, I won't." she said. She turned away to walk, but was immediately stopped by Gage's firm hand on her right shoulder. Gianne froze in place when she felt him squeeze tightly.

"I mean it."

-:-:-:-

"I can't believe it's happening again." a girl named Celestina Matrone said breathlessly. "I mean, they really are here."

Gianne turned to the girl and the three other individuals that were in her squad. Rylan, Gabrielle, and Turner also stared out at the city with wide eyes. The Titans were a few miles away from the roof the squad stood on, walking mindlessly around as they searched for any human in sight. Gianne understood what Celestina meant; they reminded her of Conrad's words. Why today? What was so significant about today?

"You shouldn't think about that now." Gianne said, swiping the thought out of her mind. "We can debate about that subject after we kill off these bastards." she grinned.

"How are you so sure we can defeat them?" Celestina asked.

"Because I didn't go through three years of training just to be a Titan's snack."

"You sound like Commander Keith. That's something he would say." Rylan pointed out.

"I guess we all should feel that same motivation." Turner said. "God, now I'm pretty pumped!"

"Look, the Titans are noticing us!" Gabrielle said as she pointed her sword in a straight direction.

She was right. The Titans did turn their attentions to squad. Each of them had a smile that made Gianne even angrier. _What the fuck are they so happy about,_ she thought. Of course, they were a brainless species so they really weren't feeling emotions about anything. Though, it reminded Gianne of the people that always laughed at her when she was younger. They were always amused by her height and short temper. The humiliation made her feel like some show animal. But she always fought back with all her might. She was stronger and held her head high with pride, and won every battle that came her way.

This was no different. Those Titans were like the people from her past. She can defeat them, she knew it. _I really can._

"Squad Eighteen, get ready!" a Garrison soldier called out.

"Should we pray before we leave?" Gabrielle suggested.

"No need to." Gianne said. Then she ran. "Let's go!"

The squad went forward and flew over the city. The 3D maneuver gears were working perfectly, and Gianne used her gas to push onward. The feeling made Gianne's stomach tickle with enjoyment. Her first battle was here. She was going to kill them. The Titans were getting closer each second, and Gianne was the first one to get up to them. There were so many, but she didn't have time to count.

One Titan reached out to grab her, but she was swift. Using the cable, she moved towards the left and used the height of one building to pull her up more. Her feet pushed off the stony wall, the momentum helping her get to the Titan's neck. This was it, she was about to do it.

With a scream, she spun her body around and dug her blades deeply into the Titan's rough skin. With one swipe, she slayed the monster. "Yes!"

She can do this. This was no different than before. Bigger creatures were no match for her. Gianne felt a wave of adrenaline rushing around her body. Her fingers and toes numbed and her breathing was erratic. The feeling felt so good. _No, this feeling is amazing._

One by one, Gianne went and killed all the Titans that were in her sight. Her confidence rose after each kill, making her better and more blood thirsty. She wasn't tired at all. The weight of the maneuver gear felt like a feather. Her blades where still in well condition with only a little uneven edges. Kill after kill, she stroked her ability even more. The world was red and the sky was black. In her eyes, this was the world she wanted to live in. She loved it.

"Gianne!" a desperate scream said her name.

Gianne turned back to reality and looked back. Celestina's eyes were red with tears and flushed with utter fear. Those haunting eyes stared after Gianne, making her heart hammer against her chest. Her long hair was flowing down her head as the Titan held her body in his mouth.

"Celestina!" Gianne flew around and glided forward. She used all the gas in her tank to accelerate. "Celestina! Celestina!"

Where were Rylan, Gabrielle, and Turner? Looking around, Gianne saw no other soldier. Though, she spotted the pool of blood on the ground. The pair legs that where a crimson color around the waist. The lone arm that rested on a roof. The fallen swords with shatter blades.

"No! Celestina!" Gianne went faster, but it was no use. After one more breath of air, Celestina was sucked in and swallowed. Gone. "No! Dammit!"

She killed that Titan and watched it fall. The carcass evaporated and Gianne was looking from a roof. Her squad had fallen. It was only her now. Tears welled from her eyes.

"Celestina… I'm sorry…" she said in a hushed voice. The tears were hot and sticking to her face. "I'm so sorry everyone… I shouldn't have gone ahead…"

The guilt weighed her down. If only she was with her squad, she could've aided them. The fault was hers. She was too excited and it got everyone killed. She told them they were going to make it. Now, she was here.

Something inside her heart exploded. The impact polluted her whole body and mind. She was furious and distressed about multiple things. "They ruin everything…" she said, a growl escaping her throat. A pack of Titans were seen a half mile from where she was. "They ruin everything. They ruin everything. They ruin _everything_! You all ruin _everything_!"

Like a predator, she raced after her prey. Her emotions pushed her to go on and avenge everything. From Shiganshina to her brother to her squad, she wanted nothing but hot blood on her skin.

So she fought with everything she had. One Titan would be slain and the next would meet its fate. Her heart sung and her brain danced. The pain in her head came again, but she was too distracted. Her fury blinded her from the world as she killed the Titans. The fingers on her hands tightened around the hilt when they drew new blades. Her codes were burning as she moved from one place to another. The world was red and the sky was black. _This is what I wanted, I wanted vengeance! I wanted to rebel!_

Soon, her gas tank was slowly running out. Unable to see it before, she clumsily fell from the sky and landed hard on a roof. The impact caused her head to scream and her body to ache. "I don't care anymore!" she yelled.

It took a few minutes to realize what was going on. She was on a roof, feeling rather paralyzed. Gianne was exhausted and worn out. The powerful energy was gone, it was all burned up. Now, she felt weak again. Suddenly, a voice appeared in her mind when a Titan walked by.

_Kill them all. Kill them all! Kill them all!_

"I can't!" she screeched. "I can't kill them! I need help! Someone please, help me!"

She knew it was no use. It won't be like last time when Wet saved her. No, she was alone and helpless. This was her punishment for letting her squad die. She might as well humiliate herself more.

"Help please! Help me! Help! HELP!" yes, this is what she should be doing. She wanted to look weak in front of the world. This was her torture. "Help me! Help me please!" the sky answerer when a rumble of thunder was heard.

A Titan stood in front of her, looking down on her body. She looked back at it with interest. Was this her end?

_Kill them all!_

Gianne cried. "I was going to defeat you. I was going to destroy every one of you. You ruined my life. You ruined Kota's. You ruined humanity! No matter what, I will always win!"

The Titan wrapped his fingers around her body. It picked her up effortless.

_Kill them all! Kill them all!_

"Yes, I'm gonna kill you all! Every single one!" she screamed out her words. "I'm gonna kill you all!" she thought of her friends. "Sereak! Gage! Armin! Antonio! Sylvia! Eren! They're gonna kill you! We're gonna kill you! I mean it!"

_Kill them all! Kill them all!_

"Yes, I'LL KILL THEM ALL!"

"Gianne." someone said.

She heard her name.

"Gianne. Gianne." It was there again. Who was it? Who was calling to her?

Before she could find out, the Titan gave out a huge roar and stuffed her whole body in its mouth.

***Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to Black Skies. And please, do not hunt me down and kill me in my sleep. **

**No really, I am SO sorry about not updating last weekend I feel like a horrible person. I was still pretty sick and I had to get a tooth pulled out and, well, I didn't feel like writing this at all. But the good news is, this chapter is MUCH longer than the last one! And some of you were PMing me to never do that again. But, I also have some good/bad news.**

**Next week, I don't think I'll be able to update because, I'm going to Germany! Woohoo! And please do not kill me! So, that's the bad news, but the other good news is that when I return, I will make it up by updating two new chapters at the same time. So you won't hate me for giving you one and having to wait another week for the next one. How does that sound? Good? Great! If you have any questions or just want to talk to me, please PM me! **

**I hope you have a nice day and a wonderful spring break! Because I will! **

**Cast:**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Bulter: FlyBoy56**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**-Phoenix**


	6. Humanity's Counter Attack

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Six: Humanity's Counter Attack **

Rikken Talicron didn't go out today. Instead, he stayed home fixing the three-dimensional maneuver gears a couple soldiers broke. They all knew he enjoyed fixing machinery. Though, Rikken had to admit, maneuver gears were quite boring to repair. Sometimes, a screw would drop out causing the machine to malfunction. Other times, he would have to take apart the whole device to fix the cords, and then put it back together again. Whatever happened, he was able to fix fast.

He wasn't just a repair man, though. He had some brilliant ideas of his own. From weaponry to transport, the papers around his desk were his flesh and blood. All the ideas he had went on a sheet immediately. However, he kept is creativity a secret. He thought the world wasn't ready to meet new inventions yet. He would privately build his works from anything he found. Metal and copper were always expensive to get. Wood was easy to find.

Once, he made his own wind-maker. It was created from wood that was shaped into a flower with the petals spaced apart. He created a base and added a strong piece of string. Whenever he pulled it, a small gust of wind would blow his hair and cool his sweaty face. It was the second thing he's made successfully in his life.

Rikken enjoyed his privacy. He enjoyed having time to think. While he was working, he kept brainstorming all the possibilities that could be brought to the world.

Then, he heard that thundering boom.

His hands froze before he finished up the maneuver gear he was holding. The basement shook violently, causing him to hide under his desk, believing it was an earthquake. However, after hearing the civilians panic screams, he knew better.

It had something to do with the Titans. They were coming into Trost. This was just like Shiganshina all over again. _Shiganshina... my family..._ he thought miserably. The scars on his body suddenly stung. Memories of that terrorizing event played in his mind. He tried to ignore it, but a spark ignited in his heart. The Titans were coming in again. They were going to attack. This time, however, he was going to save some lives. He knew he had to.

Abandoning his desk, Rikken quickly got dressed in his uniform. Grabbing his own maneuver gear and welding goggles, he ran out of his house to guide the civilians to safety.

-:-:-:-:-

The bells to evacuate the city were heard, each gong signaling any soldiers to retreat from their post. However, no one from the front seemed to move.

The day was grey. Everywhere Gage looked, Trost was completely dead. The clouds thundering laughs were mocking in his opinion. It grew even worse when the rain came down pouring on everything.

The cold drops drenched his long hair and clothes. Gage gripped his sword hilts tightly as he watched the Titan blood evaporate off the blades. His first kill laid flat on the streets with the skin smoking. Before, he couldn't get deep into the neck with the others. It was hard and the Titans were fast. Now, he thought this was rather simple. He would do it again if need be.

"Do you think the civilians got out?" Antonio asked him.

"I think so. There's not a soul in sight." Gage said. "The whole world seems so silent."

"When do you want to retreat back to Wall Rose?" Antonio asked.

"I don't know. Soon… maybe…"

"Guys, are you almost out of gas?" Daedre questioned them. Yes, it was just those three. The other members of their squad didn't make it. A wave of regret washed over Gage. He should've been able to save them, Daniel Puttman and Evelyn Francis.

"Yeah, I actually am." Antonio said.

"Same." Gage said. He was stupid to burn up most of his gas on trying to slay some Titans. At times, he thought a few were close enough to grab him, but Antonio managed to save him. It was very peculiar. Antonio wasn't in the Grad Ranks, and yet, he was able to kill four Titans easily. Gage would look to him suspiciously, but then turn away to mind his own business. "Where are those damn reinforcements?"

Gage looked around the city. It was hard to see through all the rain. The only building he was able to spot was HQ. It was taller and able to stand out. The reinforcements were there getting supplies, but no one seemed to leave. Something was wrong.

"Guys, how much gas do you have left?" Gage asked sternly.

Antonio and Daedre looked at each other, both having a silent conversation before Antonio answered. "Enough to make a couple more miles. Why?"

"Because if we use it wisely, then we'll be able to get to HQ." he explained. Pointing straight, he said. "The building is a half a mile this way."

"Sounds like a plan." Daedre said. "But if I run out of gas first before we get there, one of you is going to have to carry me."

The three turn on their maneuver gears and flew towards HQ. In the rain, the water stung Gage's eyes and made his hair even more drenched. At times, he would peek at both his sides in order to find a spot of red. So far, nothing stood out that interest him. He wondered how Sereak and his other friends were. Did they manage to get everyone out? Was Sereak still alive? When he thought of Gianne, there was an unpleasant feeling in his stomach that made him have negative thoughts. He shook them away when he spotted HQ. Immediately, his heart jumped to his throat. The squad stopped and landed on a roof, witnessing the total disaster.

Dozens of Titans were surrounding the building. Some were climbing up the platforms and walls while others were breaking inside. Big or small, each Titan was figuring out its own way to get in. Their mammoth eyes took a look through the windows while their hands smashed through the glass in order to retrieve a victim. Gage figured that the reinforcements were already devoured. The Titans didn't even notice the three gaping at them.

"Holy shit…" Antonio said. His voice gave a noticeable croak. "This is just… so unfair."

"We should try and save them!" Daedre suggested.

"We can't, unless you wanted to be Titan food as well." Antonio said.

"But we can't just stand here and do nothing!" Daedre exclaimed. Gage didn't understand what he was so worked up about. Death was death, he remembered Annie's words. Daedre can't be the hero right now. He couldn't take on death itself.

Daedre flipped his long side bang to the side. A scar on his cheek was shown slightly. "No one deserves this! No one deserves this end!"

"Daedre, that's enough." Gage warned.

"Why aren't we doing something about it?" Daedre burst with ultimate fury. His face grew darker and his brown eyes burned wildly. "Don't you think this is wrong? It's a sin to let people die!"

"Look Daedre, we just can't do anything about it." Antonio said, looking rather tired. "We don't make the rules. It's just how life is."

"Screw you!" Daedre spat. He turned to his tall friend. "Gage will help me then, right?"

Gage looked away, unable to meet his desperate gaze. He replied. "He's right Daedre. We can't do anything right now. We can barely keep ourselves alive. I know where you're coming from, though. Expect, this isn't the time to play hero."

Daedre looked stunned by his words. He averted his eyes to his feet and scowled. Gage continued. "I honestly don't know what to do now. So please, don't turn to me for help."

-:-:-:-

Meanwhile, the remaining recruits were together in a rather serious depression. Each individual too weak to fight or simply just given up. Sereak eyes went from one body to the next and they all looked the same. Their heads were down and covered, as if they were trying to block the world from their view.

"Everyone's so cheerful, huh?" Sylvia said sarcastically. Sereak wasn't in the mood.

"Don't start Sylvia. I'm sure you're feeling the same way too." Sereak said warningly.

Sylvia gave her a grim look as she crossed her arms. "I don't need you to decide how I feel or not."

"You're scared, I can tell. You're giving up also." Sereak said.

"And so what, you're not?"

Sereak looked away from her. "No, because you're only scared of the Titans and the way they eat people. I'm sure everyone is. I've seen it before, lived it, and still have nightmares about it. I don't fear them. That's why the supply team isn't here to help us."

She noticed Sylvia turning her attention back to HQ, watching the Titans overrun the building. Sereak felt so useless. If she had more gas, maybe she could kill some and find a way in. If all the recruits had more gas, maybe they could take out all of them. But they were acting like cowardly dogs. Their tails were between their legs as they whimpered amongst themselves. They were beaten up and frightened. No one wanted to die for nothing.

"Do you think they'll come, the reinforcements?" Sylvia asked.

Sereak sighed. "I doubt it. HQ is being invaded by a herd. When you're up against a group, the odds are not in your favor."

"Come on guys, cheer up!" Sasha voice was heard. Sereak knew this wasn't the moment for this optimistic girl's encouragement. "We can take them down! I can take the lead if you want."

No one bothered to look up and reply to her. Why couldn't some people be like Sasha and Daedre? Their loud enthusiasm would've helped lift some of the recruit's spirits. It may have also pushed them to be more of a fighter. Instead, they've given up. They were just welcoming death.

"Sereak!" she heard Gage's voice. Turning around, he was running up to her looking exceedingly drenched. Antonio and Daedre were also there too, wet from the rain and miserable. Antonio went up to Annie and whispered something in her ear. The blonde girl shook her head while he looked even more depressed.

Gage stopped right in front of her. "Sereak, I'm glad you're still here."

"Same to you." she said.

"Listen, are Gianne and her squad back yet? Did they ever pass by here?" he asked. His face and eyes were red. He was breathing uncontrollably. For a brief second, Sereak noticed how Mikasa finally arrived. She was looking around aimlessly until she spotted Armin.

"Gianne…" Sereak muttered. She felt like a knife just stabbed her in the chest. Gage didn't see her, so does that mean, she's still out there somewhere? "No I haven't."

Gage's face tightened into a serious expression. He clenched the hilts of his sword again, making his knuckles turn white. "Okay, I'll take my leave."

"Where are you going now?" Sylvia asked.

He turned away. "To find her."

"Wait Gage!" Sereak grabbed his arm and tugged him back. He was so tall and strong, but Sereak managed to hold him still. "You can't go now. I'm sure your gas tank is already running low on fuel."

"I'm fine." he spat and wrenches his arm free. "I have all the gas I need."

"No you don't man." Antonio announced. Gage glared at him. "You said it yourself, we don't have enough to make it to the wall. I think you won't have enough to go on this search."

"No one was even talking to you!" Gage said.

"Gage, just stay calm–"

"Stay calm?" Gage cut off Sereak. "Stay calm? _How am I supposed to stay calm when I have a feeling something bad is happening to Gianne?_"

"Because I trust she can take care of herself." she replied.

"Do you even care?" Gage screamed in her face. Sereak scowl darkened harder and she clenched her fists.

"Of course I do!"

Their fight, however, was over when they heard Armin's choking voice. Every individual their turned to him in order to hear what he was saying. "Our unit…" he starts. "The thirty-forth cadet unit…" he places both hands on his thighs and lowers his head. Mikasa was watching him closely. "Thomas Wagner. Nic Tius. Mylius Zeramuski. Mina Carolina. Eren Jaeger. All five of them have fulfilled their duty and died heroic deaths in battle!"

Everyone stares at Armin in silence. There were a lot of surprised looks on their faces. Mikasa looked completely dumbfounded. _All of them… died?_ Sereak thought. She didn't want to accept this news. They were all good people. They did not deserve this fate.

Armin continues, unable to look directly at Mikasa. His tears were dripping from his eyes. "I'm sorry Mikasa. Eren died trying to save me. I couldn't do anything! I'm so sorry!"

Everyone waited for Mikasa to react. Sereak knew how much she loved Eren. She could sacrifice anything in order to protect him. She could possible die for him if she had to. Mikasa knelt down and holds Armin's hands.

"Armin." she says calmly. "Take a deep breath. This isn't the time to be emotional. Stand up." she takes his hand gently and pulled him up. His blue eyes are shiny with tears. He looked utterly puzzled. Mikasa turns away from him and goes to Marco. "If we take out the Titans around the HQ, we can replenish our gas supplies and climb the wall. Does that sound correct?"

"Yeah…" Marco replies. "But even if you're with us, there's just too many–"

"I can do it." he was cut off sharply by her new aggressive tone. Sereak was shocked to hear this new emotional voice. She lifts her sword above her head to prove herself. "I'm strong… stronger than all of you. Extremely strong. I can kill all those Titans there. Even if I'm alone. As far as I'm concerned, you are all nothing but spineless cowardly worms."

Sereak turns to get a quick peek at everyone. Their expressions were all the same. They were completely astonished by her speech. Normally, Mikasa didn't talk that much. It was almost a pleasure to hear her voice.

Mikasa lowers her sword and points to them all. Sereak could almost feel it somehow stab her pride. "How pathetic. You can sit here and suck your thumbs and watch how it's done."

"Wait, Mikasa! Are you out of your mind? That's crazy!" a girl says realistically. Mikasa lowers her sword, her face expressionless.

"You can't be serious!" a boy adds. "Trying to take them out by yourself! There's no way you can hope to beat them!"

Mikasa stares at them all blankly. "If I can't beat them, then I die. But if I win, I live. And the only way to live is to _fight_!" she turns, jumps from the roof and turns on her maneuver gear. In a few seconds, she's already gone.

Everyone was silent. No one dared to breathe or move. However, Gage was the first. He fired his grapple hooks to a nearby house not too far away. Everyone turned to him. Sereak's eyes widened.

"Where are you going?" Jean asks in surprised.

Gage turns to him. His expression was rather grim. "I'm going with Mikasa. I'm going to defeat those Titans and get the gas I need. I'm sick of staying with you, _weaklings_." he pressed the button on his sword to activate his maneuver gear and followed Mikasa's path.

It took a few moments for his words to sink into Sereak's brain. When they finally did, something made her heart scream. _I'm not weak, I'm a soldier!_

With that, she ran away from the others and flew away to catch up with the two. She heard Sylvia calling out to her, but she ignored the girl completely. She was too focused on going to HQ. Gage was right, they were weaklings, but she was about to prove him wrong. When she caught up to him, he turned to her.

"I'm glad you decided to come." he said.

"Of course." she replied without looking at him. "I need something to push me. You, Mikasa, and Gianne helped me with that."

After a while, the people from behind started to activate their maneuver gears as well, following the three people that lead the way. Sereak grinned to herself mentally.

_I guess we're not cowards after all._

"Hurry! Let's follow them and keep the fight short!" Jean shouts to get everyone's attention. "We need to kill them all before we run out of gas!"

The Titans were closely up ahead and so was Mikasa. Following her lead, both Sereak and Gage begin cutting down the napes of the Titans necks in order to create a clear path for everyone else. Mikasa was fast and swift when she slayed her prey, but Sereak noticed something. She was way ahead because she was using too much gas while everyone else was conserving theirs.

Mikasa kept up her killing spree until her gas tank ran out. Like a bird with a broken wing, she fell from the sky and landed hard on a roof top. A gasp of pain was heard from her mouth. Her body rolled down the curve and she fell into an alley.

"Mikasa!" Armin calls out and quickly changes direction. Gage also seemed to notice this and pales. With one turn, he also followed Armin.

"Gage!" Sereak cried to him. Though, he didn't answer her. _He was trying to be a hero_, Sereak wondered.

"Jean! You lead the others! Sereak! Help him as well!" Connie turns his head to Jean and then Sereak. "I'll go with Armin and Gage!"

Connie was about to fly down with Armin and Gage, but he was caught off guard when Jean disobeyed. "I'm coming with you!"

"What are you talking about? There are more Titans left!" Connie says rather furiously. "We need your skills! Sereak! Make sure you help him as much as you can!" then he leaves. Jean looks down in pain.

Sereak whistles to get Jean's attention. This caused him to look to her. "Don't tell me you're getting emotional now, horse-face!"

His eyes widened to the size of dish plates. They were mixed with shock and fury while his cheeks were faded to a shade of pink. "Sh-Shut up!"

-:-:-:-

Gage searched around for Mikasa. The idiot had to use up all her gas in order to kill off some Titans. Though, he knew better. She was really upset about the loss of her adopted brother, Eren, and she got all her emotions out on the Titans and her classmates. Gage knew because it was something he would do if he lost Gianne.

Armin flew beside him looking the other way. Gage respected Armin for going out to help his friend. The two glided around the city, hoping to find the girl that fell off. Suddenly, a loud ear popping roar filled the air.

Gage frantically scanned the area around. When he spotted a figure in an open alley, he called out. "Armin, I found her!"

Using his grapple hooks to get closer down to where she was, Gage swung his body next to Mikasa's and wrapped an arm around her waist. Lifting her up, Gage propelled them up high and met a roof top. Without any effort, he landed clumsily on his feet, causing both of them to tumble on the land. Gage's head and body scream with agony, but his pain was quickly ignored when he talked to Mikasa.

"Mikasa, are you okay?" Gage asked. She looked up at him and gave weak nod. He also caught her mouthing, 'thank you', to him.

"Mikasa!" Armin landed next to them.

Connie swiftly landed perfectly on the spot, "Are you three okay?"

"Yes, we're fine." Armin replied.

"We must get going!" Connie said.

"Yeah, you're right." Gage agreed.

Gage turned his attention to Mikasa again, who looked directly at something behind him. When he turned, he spotted two exceedingly large Titans that faced each other. His stomach dropped. They were going to get spotted. Both Armin and Connie came to realize what was before them as well. Gage stood up and drew two new blades.

"Shit! This is bad!" Connie shouted. "There are two fifteen meter classes!"

"No…" Mikasa said. "That Titan's…"

Gage turned to her with a confused look. What was she talking about? Gage noticed Armin looking towards something. He followed his gaze and spotted a rotting Titan skeleton smoking up. _Mikasa couldn't have done that, was someone else here? _Gage wondered.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard that same screeching roar fill his ears. He looked back at the two Titans, who seemed to be threatening one another. Gage covered his ears and watched curiously as the opposing Titan replied with a roar of his own, less loud but more fierce. The other Titan began to raise his arms in a defensive position. Everyone was taken back.

"What is it doing?" Gage asked. No one had an answer for that.

With one more roar, the opposing Titan went in to attack, charging forward with all its power. The Titan responded with a swing of its fist. When the fist connected to the side of the head, an audible bang filled the air. The head detached itself from the neck and was launched to the right. The head flew for a few seconds until it crashed into a building. The body fell forward on the ground, but before the head could regenerate, the Titan stepped hard on the neck to stop it.

"Oh God…" Gage trailed with astonishment.

"It finished that Titan off? It knew its weak spot?" Armin questioned.

"We got to move before it comes after us!" Connie said.

"No. It shows no interest in us. It would've attacked right now." Armin said.

Gage looked more closely at the Titan. He had to admit, it did look more abnormal than a regular class. The body structure was completely built with indestructible muscles. The Titan's face was also shaped differently. It was square with no lips, a sharp nose, and pointed ears. The long black locks were also very unusual. No Titan should have hair like that. But the most interesting thing about this Titan was that it didn't have an interest to kill humans. Instead, it focused more on the Titans themselves. Was that kind of reality even possible to live in? Was this really a dream Gage was actually having? He quickly picked the skin on his hand to make sure. No, this was real. That abnormal Titan was very alive.

"How does it even know martial arts? Titans aren't that intelligent, are they?" Gage asked.

"He's right, it somehow knows combat skills. Maybe it's not a Titan. So what is it?" Mikasa said.

"We just have to assume it's another abnormal." Connie suggested impatiently. "We barely know anything about them..." he sighed, "Anyway, lets head back to HQ."

"Wait!" Armin stopped him. "Mikasa ran out of gas!"

"Huh? Are you serious? What are we supposed to do without you?" Connie exclaimed.

"I could carry her." Gage suggested.

"No." Armin said quickly. "You said before, you're almost out of gas, so you should save it for yourself. There's another solution. Here!" He began taking her canister and replacing it with his own.

"Armin!" Mikasa cried.

"I don't have much gas left either, but I think it would be wise if you used the rest of mine. I don't want to be baggage to you guys. So please Mikasa, take my gas. Go a save everyone." he told her. Mikasa looked down on him with disbelief. Gage was also shocked. Armin would sacrifice his own supply in order to help the others. _Would Mikasa actually leave him?_ Gage thought about staying with him if she did.

Armin took out a blade that was broken in half. It still looked sharp, but it wasn't going to be an advantage against the Titans. "I gave you all my blades. But please, let me keep this one. I don't want to be eaten alive."

Mikasa bent down and took the blade. With one toss, the lone weapon flew over the roof and disappeared. The boys were very surprised. Mikasa knelt down to Armin's level and took his hand in her owns.

"Armin." she said. "I won't leave you here." She helped him up.

The four of them stood by and watched the Titan closely again. Gage walked beside Mikasa to talk to her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Yes." Mikasa nodded. "Before, I wasn't sure if I was or not. Before, I was confused about why I wanted to live. Now, I see something that's worth fighting for."

"What's that?"

She turned to him, her grey eyes boring into his aquamarine ones. The stare was so strong he could almost feel the sensation in their look. Mikasa answered him. "Hope."

-:-:-:-

Jean and Sereak lead the group to the roof of a house that was a half a mile away from HQ. They were being blocked to continue forward. Everyone looked down in horror as they watched the Titans below them. Some were desperately reaching their enormous arms out to try and grab them.

"We won't be able to make it to HQ..." Jean said. Sereak heard him closely. "Unless we prepared to make sacrifices."

From below, one recruit with dark hair had his grapple hooks dug into a house by him. However, his gas tank was empty, trapping him from escaping. His loud whimpering was heard by the Titans. Soon, all the giants were crowding around him. Looking up, the boy held out his swords.

"Stay away!" he tried to warn. The Titans rejected his threat him completely.

Both Jean and Sereak looked at the scene anxiously. They didn't know what to do. Even the rest of the recruits froze in place to watch. Though, Antonio was holding back a very furious Daedre, who wanted to save the boy. Soon, another boy and girl flew to the victim's rescue. Sereak's eyes widened.

"Tom, I'm gonna save you!" the boy said. The girl followed him closely behind.

Jean was shocked as he shouted to them. "Stop it! You can't!" but they just shut him off.

Tom is now in a Titan's grip, shaking and crying. Sereak didn't know what to do, she was petrified. So was everyone else.

"Stop!" the boy screams. When he goes in to cut the Titan's neck, he is easily caught by another Titan behind him. The other girl is caught as well.

After a chomp sound, Tom's head was gone, leaving his neck to drip with crimson colored blood. A Titan swallowed the other boy whole, leaving no body parts for his remain. Sereak didn't notice this, but she was gripping her own left wrist tightly. She had to admit it, she was extremely scared. Looking to Jean, he was in a deep thought as he watched his fellow comrades getting eaten. Blood was squirted and everywhere on the ground, staining the city with an ugly color. Sylvia walked up to Sereak, noticing her grip.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Sereak nodded, but didn't verbally answer her.

She watched the Titans eating away, paying no mind to the children above them. Abruptly, Jean called out to everyone very loudly. "Go! Hurry to HQ while we still can!"

Jean leaps down to another house and runs off, expecting the others to follow him. Sereak watched him go, dumbfounded by his actions. Connie's words rang in her head. _Sereak! Make sure you help him as much as you can! _Something tugged in her body. An awkward knot was twisting in her chest.

"Is this guy for real?" Conrad said.

_Damn it Connie, why did you have to make me babysit Jean?_ Sereak thought, sighing with utter frustration. Turning to everyone around her, she used up all her confidence and power to yell loud.

"Come on! What are you standing around here for?"

Just like Jean, Sereak jumped from the roof and landed on another to catch up with Jean. The others began to follow.

-:-:-:-

"Okay, so one of us is going to have to carry Armin." Gage said, crossing his arms.

"B-But, carrying me and leaping through a Titan filled area..." Armin tried to object. Connie cut him off when he took his arm.

"Talk later Armin! We have to go now!"

Gage knew Armin was unconfident with himself, but he was now growing extremely irritated by his behavior. They were trying to get out of the area, and yet, Armin still thought he was nothing but baggage. He had to get his head straight soon.

The group began to run forward, Connie still dragging Armin from behind while Gage ran next to Mikasa. After a few moments, the abnormal Titan's roar was heard again, causing Armin to wench himself free from Connie's grip. Everyone stopped to stare at him questionably.

"Wait! Listen to me. I have a plan." he said.

"A plan?" Gage asked. He was getting impatient with him now.

Armin nodded with a serious look. "Yes. You thee will have to execute it, so you decide. I know it's crazy, but could we use that Titan?"

The abnormal Titan was a house away, still roaring to the sky about another kill. Grey smoke floated around it. Everyone's eyes widened from the amazing question.

"Use it...?" Gage muttered.

"What do you mean use it?" Connie asked.

"It has no interest in us. It's only interested in killing the other Titans." Armin explained. "Could we, somehow, manage to lead it over to the supply area? If it defeats the other Titans, everyone would be saved."

"Lead it?" Connie said. "How would we do that?"

"I think its fighting instinctively. The three of you will defeat the Titans near it. That should make it move to find more. We can lead it right to HQ." Armin explained.

"How did you come up with that so fast?" Gage asked.

"We can't do something that dangerous on a hunch!" Connie scolded.

"But if it works, we might be able to destroy all the Titans around HQ." Armin fought back.

"It's worth a try." Mikasa said for the first time.

"Huh? You're actually serious?" Connie cried with shock.

"I am too." Gage went along.

"What?"

"Better to try something at a time like this then simply wait for death." Mikasa glared her eyes towards Connie. "Let's go with Armin's plan."

Armin's face lite brightly. Mikasa and Gage were willing to go with his plan. That seemed to boost up his confidence a little more. Gage was giving his own life for this plan. It was a fifty-fifty chance he might die trying to do it. Was he really going to put his life on the line for an abnormal Titan?

"Fight the Titan with another Titan?" Connie asked.

"Yeah, that's right." Gage said.

Connie looked down a little, still having doubts about the plan. Though, it was three against one, so he had no other option left. He raised his head a forced on a smile. "If we lose, they'll laugh at us."

Armin was now glowing with his wide smile. Gage couldn't help but smile back at his excitement.

"But if we succeed, then everyone will survive." the blonde said.

"What are we waiting for then?" Gage grinned and ran towards the abnormal.

-:-:-:-

The HQ was right there. The group was going to make it. Sereak caught up with Jean and ran beside him.

"What the_ hell_ are you planning to do?" she asked, emphasizing hell rather darkly.

"If we run out of gas, we're finished so we better hurry. Just shut up and stop complaining." he replied with an irate expression.

Sereak sighed through her nose. "I wasn't, okay? Anyways, I'm with you here and… whatever. So is everyone else. Just remember you're the responsible one here now."

Jean's face was ashen, but he tried to hide it with a courageous mask upon his face. Clearing his throat, he nods to her and then calls to everyone. "Everyone, move it!"

Jumping over another house, the group begins activating their maneuver gears and fly through a herd of Titans. The group passes by them quickly, though, some weren't so lucky. Sereak witnessed one boy getting caught, screaming for help, but was instantly swallowed. Turning to Jean, she saw a Titan's hand swing towards him and grip on to his leg. Her eyes widened.

"Jean!"

Before she could save him, Antonio cut her off and went for the Titan's neck. His blades sliced a chunk of the nape off, causing it to let go of Jean. The Titan fell forward with shame. Jean flew closer to Antonio, looking very grateful for the rescue.

"Thanks." he gave him a side smile.

"Don't worry about it, Leader." Antonio says.

"Come on, let's hurry!" Jean calls out again.

The group landed on another rooftop and began running forward. Jean and Sereak lead the way to HQ, which was only a few hundred meters away. They were almost there. They were really going to live. Suddenly, Marco lands on the other side of Jean with a wide grin.

"Jean!" he calls to get his attention. It worked. "Thanks! I only got out because of you!"

"Huh?" Jean was puzzled.

"It's all thanks to you. I told you, didn't I? You're cut out to be the leader!" Marco encourages.

Sereak held back her own voice before she agreed. For a reason unexplained, she thought it wasn't the time to be praising Jean yet. This was just a lucky event he had, being the hero. She was still quite positive that he was still a jerk who only cared about his well-being. Though, when she turned to look at him, he was smiling.

"I seriously don't know." he said.

"Is there not a better time to talk about this?!" Sylvia said to them both, catching up to the lead.

Sereak noticed how there was much more Titans as they got closer to the HQ. When the group flew towards the building, each individual was trying their best to dodge instead of attack. Though, a few comrades were getting caught again and started screeching. Sereak turned away, unable to look at the scene. Jean noticed it and cursed.

"Dammit!"

"We're almost there!" Daedre announced happily.

"Brace yourself!" Reiner said.

With one more scream the group used their bodies to smash through the windows. Sereak felt a couple shards cutting against her cheeks and a great pain when she slammed and rolled on the floor. Before she could get up, Sylvia and Sasha followed her path and landed on top of the girl. Sereak felt all the air getting squeezed out of her. She gagged.

"G-Get off!" she order.

The three got up and looked around. Glass shards were sprinkled all over the wooden floor and only a few of their comrades stood tall. Sereak noticed how their group seemed to decrease. She turned to Jean, who also seemed to realize that too. A hand was over his eye as he was thinking. A pang of guilt hammered her chest. He was trying his best to save everyone, but now, it seemed he just lead a lot to their deaths. She pitied him. To show that she patted his shoulder softly, causing him to turn to her with a questionable look.

"I'm trying to cheer you up." she said.

"Thanks." he replied dryly.

There was a sudden noise. Jean turns his head to the side and Sereak followed his gaze. There, under a large wooden table, was a girl and boy, hugging their knees tightly. Half the girl's face was covered with crimson blood. They both looked to Jean with blank stares. He stares back.

"You're part of the supply squad, aren't you…?" he rapidly grabs hold of his collar and drags him out of the hiding spot. Abruptly, Jean punches him hard in the face, letting droplets of blood fly from the boy's mouth. The victim falls to the ground. Sereak was in utter shock.

"What the hell!" Conrad said.

"Stop it Jean!" Marco cries and holds him back. Jean looked insane with complete rage.

"These bastards abandoned us! Do you even have a clue how many died?" Jean spat, squirming in Marco's arms.

Sereak slowly went in front of Jean to block his view. Her glowering eyes glared into his as she tried to calm him down. "Anger is a weakness Jean. Don't turn into a monstrous animal. These little chicks need to look up to you."

Jean was rather puzzled by her choice of words, but it got him to stop squirming and look a little calmer. The girl came out to reveal herself. Kneeling by the boy, she looked up with teary eyes as she cried to them.

"The Titans invaded the storehouse! What could we have done?!"

Jean answers venomously, "It's your job to figure something–"

"_Jean_!" Sereak cut him off sharply, like her voice was a sharp blade. There was no time to rant and point fingers. These innocent victims let cowardliness take over them.

A loud noise was heard outside.

"Take cover!" Reiner shouts.

Before anyone can react, an eruption filled in the entire office. Smoked and rubble covered everyone's vision. Some people were getting pushed back by the force. Sereak felt a small piece of stone hitting her head as she covered herself. When the smoke cleared, she looked up and saw a Titan's face.

"It face planted into wall!" Daedre yelled.

"_No_, it just opened the door with its head!" Sylvia replied sarcastically, though, she was utterly frantic.

Sereak was frozen. It appeared so suddenly. Are the Titans, somehow, getting intelligent?

"Dammit!" Jean looks at the face, petrified. "There are too many people gathered here!"

The cadets began to panic and screamed at each other. Sereak could hear them all very well.

"Hurry! Inside!"

"Run for your lives!"

"Where's Mikasa?!"

"She crashed back there! She's been eaten!"

Jean stood there, dumbfounded. The big hole the Titan created showed two more peaking inside. Their smiles were mocking. Their large eyes followed towards Jean and Sereak, who were the only two still in the office. Everyone else was gone.

"This is it…" Jean muttered. "This is reality…"

Sereak tugged at his arm, trying to pull him away. "Jean, come on!"

"What!"

Unexpectedly, the Titans were pushed out of the way. Sereak watched as a gigantic fist clashed with the first Titan's face, causing it to collide with the Titan next to it and fly away. A loud boom was heard, including a high volume roar that made her cover her ears. Sereak looked through the hole to see the body of another Titan. Then, it ran away. Jean and Sereak watched it with complete astonishment.

"What… is that?" Jean asked.

"A Titan… is attacking… a Titan?" Sereak was confused. She couldn't believe what her eyes just saw. A species attacking its own? Was that even possible? The Titans weren't animals. They didn't even comprehend the world around them. "H-How is… that even possible?"

Another crash was heard. The two turned to see Mikasa, Gage, and Armin in Connie's arms burst through the window. The group looked at them and the two stared back.

"Gage!" Sereak cried.

"Mikasa!" Jean noticed her first.

"My gas tank is empty." Gage said.

"So is mine." Connie said and tapped his tank with his fist. It made an echo sound. "But we did it. We just barely made it!"

"How are you guys still alive?" Jean question, still trying to understand that his fallen comrades have come back unharmed.

"Armin saved us." Gage said, pointing to the blonde boy. Sereak glared down at him. He sat on the wooden floor looking like he was enduring the pain he had received. Connie knelt down to pat him on the back.

"You did Armin. Your plan was a success." He said with a wide grin.

"I think you're hurting him more." Gage noticed how Armin was squirming.

"Why are you guys here?" Sereak asked. "I thought you were all at the walls by now."

Gage gives her a look and points to the hole. There, she saw a better view of the Titan that knocked out its own kind. Walking by the hole, Sereak caught every little detail. It had long, dark hair like hers that grazed its shoulders, sharp green eyes that were narrowed in contrast, and point ears. She noticed how it lacked skin around its lips, exposing its large, square teeth and long tongue. The Titan was also well-built, which was unusual to the many other Titans she's seen before.

"Everyone! That Titan is an abnormal that's only interested in other Titans." Connie announced to the people who began coming back. Sereak saw them peeking around the door. "It's not even interested in slaughtering humans. If we play our cards correctly, we may get outta here alive."

Everyone looked at Connie like he spoke to them in a different language. Maybe he did. Sylvia and Daedre gave each other uneasy looks. No one planned for this to happen. Why would they depend on a creature that's been destroying lives for centuries? Gage seemed to think this was normal. Sereak looked from him back to the abnormal Titan who started kicking away smaller classes. Maybe she should trust what she sees.

"You'd rely on a Titan for help?" Jean asked, sounding completely disturbed. "That's more delusional than any dream."

"It's not a dream." Mikasa said instantly. "I don't care if it's an abnormal or whatever. Just let it storm here for as long as possible. Realistically, that's our best option for survival."

"Count me in then." Sereak said. Gage gave her a smile.

"What?" Jean turned to her in shock. "You're actually going along with this?"

"I don't like to depend on other things to save me. But if that Titan is the only option left, I'm going to put all my faith into it." she placed her hands on her hip. "Besides, a Titan slaying one of its own? I knew this world was messed up. I didn't think it was extremely."

From behind, everyone else began to agree. They nodded their heads towards the group. Sereak wondered if they were just going along or really considering it.

"Don't worry, that Titan is stronger than average." Connie reassured.

-:-:-:-

Gage watched as Jean, Conrad, and a few other boys came out of the armory. Each one carrying a large wooden crate. Inside held old firearms.

"We found some. Courtesy of the Military Police, and covered in a layer of dust." Jean added.

They set the crates down and unlock them. Jean picked up a rifle and began to examine it. Gage shot one of them at the Trainee Corps for practice. Though, blades were his better weapon of choice. Conrad blew some dust off his weapon.

"These guns have seen some days. Are you sure they're not retired?" Conrad asked.

"I'm positive." Jean said. "Though, will three bullets be enough? Do these things work against the Titans anyway?"

Gage tuned them both off and averted his attention back to Armin. There was a map of the HQ in front of him while everyone else crowded around. He announced how he had another plan. This time, it was to kill the Titans in the supply room. Gage was completely interested. Before Armin could continue, he answered Jean's question.

"It's better than nothing. Even if there are three to four meter class Titans in the supply room, blinding them all at once isn't impossible with this firepower."

"So what do you plan to do exactly?" Gage asked. He leaned against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, first of all, we'll use the lift to power a large number of people into the center of the chamber." Armin points to the lift, which was right behind him. "Next, we fire directly into the seven Titans faces all at once. This will blind them for a few seconds."

"The supply room is below this floor." Daedre told Sylvia.

She gave him a look. "Yes, Captain Obvious. I knew that already."

Armin continues. "The next instance will decide everything. Seven other people hiding in the ceiling will swoop down to attack their weak spots while their blind. In other words..." he pauses. "If we follow this plan, then we'll be gambling everything on this attack. The whole point is for seven people to kill the seven Titans simultaneously. The seven people should be the most physically capable ones. You'll have to shoulder the burden of everyone's lives. I'm so sorry."

Gage knew what that meant. He said to Armin. "No need, we understand."

"Yeah, no problem at all." Reiner said.

"Whoever fails, all of us will die. The risk is the same." Annie said.

"B-But, I'm a nobody. Is my plan really the best option?" Armin muttered apprehensively. "I don't want any blood on my hands."

Daedre knelt by him and smacked him softly on the back. "Hey Armin, cheer up will ya? I'm pretty sure, no one here has any other options. You're pretty much the only brain here."

"The plan sounds very effective. I like it a lot." Sasha said.

"Don't worry, be confident. You have the best solutions when it comes to situations like this. You just have to believe in yourself more." Mikasa encouraged. Armin gazed at her.

The entrance of the lift opens with a slam. There's no turning back now.

"The lifts ready, and so are these guns! All of them are loaded." Jean said.

Everyone gets ready. Sereak takes a gun out of Jean's hand and curiously investigates the entire body. She looked through the scope and caresses the trigger to get a good feel. Gage thought she looked so different while she wielded it.

"A bow and arrow is more my choice of shooting." she said.

"I know." Gage agreed. He patted her shoulder. "Be careful on the lift."

"Just make sure you kill those Titans, Gage." Sereak said.

He nodded and was about to leave, but he paused at what Sereak said. "We'll find her soon, Gage. Dead or alive, I promise you that."

Why did he forget about Gianne? Wasn't that his whole goal in the first place? He must've been so caught up with what's going on that he mistakenly forgot about his friend. He wondered if she was still alive. Lost and out of gas. Scared and worried about death. That pushed him.

He wanted to complete this plan perfectly in order to get the gas he needed. He was going to find Gianne, even if it was a suicidal mission alone. There was no way she was leaving this world without him.

"I know." he said. He walked with the rest of the group downstairs

-:-:-:-

Gage plus Mikasa, Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, Jean, and Conrad were crouching down on the ceiling joist of the supply room. Gage was still like a statue, pretending to be a part of the ceiling structure. He steadied his breathing and slowed his heart beats down. Looking below, the seven Titans were filling the silent room with loud thumps from their steps. Gage kept a close eye on them, in case they did something unexpected. After that last Titan he encountered, he wasn't going to underestimate them again.

Then, the soft screeching sounds of wires were heard. The lift was coming down patiently. Gage thought he could hear every heart beat on there. When the lift stopped, everyone on board readied their guns with a clicking sound. This caught the Titans interests. They began walking forward towards them. Some of recruits began whimpering.

"Calm down. Lure them in close." Marco orders. He was trying to seem brave. Though, Gage noticed the sweat dripping down the side of his head.

_Boom!_ The Titans footsteps get louder each step. Gage's body tensed. He wondered if the Titans were smart enough to realize what was going on. Probably not.

He turns to his right, Mikasa nods to him on from the nearest joist. To his right, Reiner did the same thing. The Titans are getting closer to the lift, their eyes barely touching the nose of the guns. More whimpers were heard. He saw Sereak with determination in her glaring face. _This is gonna work_, Gage thought.

"Fire!" Marco yelled.

Once they heard the signal, everyone on the lift fired their bullets. The sound was deafening and smelled like smoke from a fireplace. Gage tried to keep his eyes wide open, even if some of the ash like substance were getting stuck to his vision. When the shooting was over, the Titans took a step back. Their eyes were gone.

Everyone on the ceiling joists flies forward. Gage made contract with the Titan in front of him and swiftly slashed off a chunk of flesh. He pushed himself away from the Titan and landed perfectly on his feet. Looking around, everyone else succeeded. Mikasa's Titan was already decaying. She turned to him with a small smile. They did it.

Cheers were heard all around. Some even started to cry. Gage caught Sereak's stare. He watched her sigh with relief.

"We got them all!" Jean shouts. "Everyone, stock up on supplies!"

"Hell yeah!"

The lift was lowered down and the rest of the recruits got off. Each person went to their own special needs from gas, to blades, and to food. Gage and Sereak were getting more blades as they talked to each other.

"I'll come with you to search for Gianne." she said.

"Thanks, I need all the help I can get." Gage replied. Sereak narrowed her eyes.

"You do know I care, right?"

Gage turned to her. She was referring to before, when he scolded her about even caring about Gianne's absences. Guilt was not the right word to describe how he was feeling. He was angry, and he took in out on her. That was his best friend. She didn't deserve to get yelled at like that. Not at a time like this.

"I know you care, and I'm sorry. Extremely sorry I mean." he apologized.

"Its fine Gage," she looks down, avoiding his gaze. "But don't you trust her?"

"I do."

"Your outburst before didn't seem to show that." she noted.

"I just want to protect her. I just feel like I owe her after what she's done for us when we were kids." he looks down, a little embarrassed about admitting it. "I do trust Gianne. I just don't trust the world."

Sereak placed a hand on his shoulder. Gage looked back at her again. Her glowering expression was melting to a relaxed one. "No one trusts the world, and that's what creates fear. Without fear, we wouldn't be alert about the things around us. Gianne is capable of responding to anything that comes her way. Just like cats, they are smart and very down to earth. Sometimes Gianne will be in her own little world, but she still remembers to come back to the real one."

"I know…" Gage muttered.

"Is there something else that motivates you? Is it more than just repaying her?" Sereak asked.

Gage didn't respond.

Instead, he gave her a quick glance and went to go refill his gas tank. He took another cylinder for extra gas. He was preparing for the search.

-:-:-:-

Everyone went back upstairs, going straight to the exit. The building was filled with cheers and positive attitudes that it made Sereak sick. _I can't deal with all this happy energy, Gianne was enough._

"We're free!" Daedre cheered along.

"Don't get so excited, girly boy." Sylvia said. Her sarcastic attitude didn't melt his excitement. "Trost is still under attack."

"Sylvia, just enjoy the moment right now. Put that sharp attitude aside and be positive for once." Daedre said. "We're going to live. Doesn't that make you happy?"

"I don't know. I still feel weird inside right now. Like, I shouldn't be celebrating. We already lost a lot of lives before we came here."

"The blood isn't on your hands though." Daedre noted.

"It doesn't matter. I just," she sighed after pausing. "It seems so wrong. That's all. Why aren't you sulking about this?"

Daedre face went grim. "Because I've seen this before and I'm pretty much used to it. I've seen these Titans in action before _any_ of this."

Sylvia sulked and looked away. She was glaring at the floor. "Whatever…"

Sereak knew she lived in the cities of Wall Rose, safe and comfortable when Wall Maria was getting breached. She could retell her the time when she survived Shiganshina and went through a depressing state. There was no victory. The only accomplishment they had after was killing off a thousand men in order to save the food storage. Even that success didn't deserve a celebration from her. Sylvia was going to have to get used to the Titans, just like how Daedre and Sereak have.

When everyone was outside, Sylvia and Daedre went with the other recruits to get to Wall Rose. Sereak was about to go off and find Gianne when Gage grabbed her arm.

"Wait." he said. He pointed to the roof of HQ, where Mikasa was spotted looking out at something. Armin was there with her. "We should see what's wrong."

"What about Gianne?"

"We'll get to her soon. C'mon!"

The two flew up to Mikasa and Armin, with a couple others following from behind. "What are you two doing?" Jean asked. "We can escape, let's go already."

"Hold it horse-face, something's wrong." Antonio said.

And yes, something was wrong. The abnormal Titan roared with shear pain as its own kind tore off its flesh. They were eating it. Smoke flew up as the body tried to regenerate itself, but it was somehow failing. Sereak knew about cannibalism, but watching this made her a little sick.

"I thought uncovering the truth about that Titan might be the key, to freeing ourselves from this desperate situation…" Mikasa said.

"I agree." Reiner spoke. "If they just ripped it to shreds like that, then we won't have learned a single thing. We should get rid of the Titans currently devouring it, and at least try to keep it alive."

Jean's eyes widen. "Are you insane Reiner? We can finally escape this deathtrap."

"What if that Titan could become an ally? Don't you think it'd be a weapon more powerful than any cannon?" Annie rhetorically asked.

Sereak was surprised. How would they do something like that? The Titan was a thousand times taller than a regular man. The odds of saving it were not in their favors. Not all wild animals can be tamed. Gage looked utterly interested in the option.

"Our… ally…?" Jean was puzzled.

"Hey, you kids!"

The group turned towards the person who called to them. It was a young man with his own maneuver gear as he flew towards them. He was wearing a uniform, but the pack he carried over his back and shoulders covered his badges. Sereak didn't know which branch he worked for.

When he landed by them, everyone was able to see him better. His body was slim with pale skin and brown hair. There had a short scar down his left cheek. He also had a pair of welding goggles with red tinted lenses on his head. The pack he carried was big, bearing a lot of junk and papers inside.

"What are you all doing here? The bells to evacuate came a while ago." he said. He looked so young, but his tone sounded very serious.

"We had to get more gas, sir!" Armin said.

"Who are you?" Gage questioned.

"Names Rikken Talicron, from the–"

Before he could finish, the abnormal Titan roared again, the sound was ear shattering. Rikken covered his ears and looked at it with wide eyes.

"Titans eating… each other?"

"It's a long story, brother." Antonio said. One of his eyes was closed as he pushed his palm against his skull.

"Oh god! That's the Titan that ate Thomas." Armin said.

Sereak looked down to see a blonde, scrawny looking Titan walking casually by. This set the abnormal one off. The Titan used all his weight to heave forward and charged towards it, pushing down a few Titans devouring it from before. The Titans had no upper limbs to fight with, so instead it sank its jaw deeply into the back of its victim's neck, using it as a weapon to fight off other Titans. This shocked everyone who witnessed it.

Sereak saw how the abnormal lost both its arms and had half of its rip cage exposed from the cannibalism the Titans did to it. When it lifted the Titan in its mouth, Rikken gasps from disbelief.

"What is going on here?!" he shouts.

A rather chunky looking Titan walked towards the abnormal with a satisfying grin. Suddenly, the abnormal whiplashes and chucks the Titan in its bite towards the one walking. The two collided and fell into a building, destroying the structure instantly. The abnormal gave one last victory roar. Everyone else was petrified.

"I don't… how is that…?" Rikken breathes out. Sereak felt a little bad that he didn't know what was going on. "Is that even a Titan at all?"

"It is sir, but it only attacks its own kind." Mikasa said to him.

"This goes way beyond what we know about the Titans." Rikken said. "If only, Hanji was here…"

"What's it doing?" Reiner asked.

The group turned to witness the abnormal bending down towards the floor. It made an awkward noise that sounded like gagging. First it moaned, then it coughed, and then, the cough went wet. It took a few moments before it hacked out something yellow. It looked like a sack.

"Is that bile?" Armin asked.

"Armin, look!" Gage said.

Moaning, the creature huffed out all the air it had in it. The Titan went back up straight, only fall forward, away from the substance it choked out. With a loud boom, the earth shook for a second. The group at high level could feel the small quack, causing a few to stumble forward. The raging Titan was finished, completely. Smoke surfaced from its body. Everyone watched closely.

"Well, so much for an ally." Sereak said. She turned back to the sack and looked at it more closely. Jean and Rikken were the only ones speaking.

"It's dead? That's not possible." Rikken said.

"I think it burnt itself out." Jean said. He turned his back. "Whatever. Let's get going! There's no way that monster's on our side. Titans are Titans." he begins to walk away, but stops when he notices no one was following. Confused, he walked back to Annie's side. "What is–"

Sereak eyes widened when she saw a hint of red in the sack. Suddenly, a face appeared faintly. There were freckles. Sereak ran forward quickly, using her maneuver gear to help her down.

"Sereak, where are you going?" Gage called.

"Gianne!" she screamed. "Gianne! Gianne!"

She didn't know how. She didn't know why. All she cared about was getting her friend out of the moist sack. When she slammed into it, sticky saliva threaded itself into her clothes. She peeked inside to see Gianne's face more clearly. The girl was unconscious. Her mouth was closed. Using all her power, she tried ripping the substance apart with her bare hands. It was thick and greasy, making her hands slip in attempt. The slimy cocoon only held on tightly. Her efforts began to shake Gianne's body violently. Sereak suddenly heard someone running to her. Turning around, she saw Gage with his swords out sprinting towards them.

"Gage!" Sereak was pushed away by him. When she fell to the other side, she watched him cut open the sack with one swipe. Water poured out like puss from a pimple. Gianne went through the opening and fell forward. Her upper body was caught by Gage, who held her very tightly.

Sereak just watched as Gage pulled her out of the sack more. Her body was drenched in some kind of liquid. Gianne was finally out, and the sack deflated. Then, Gage knelt down with her body on his legs. Sereak sprang forward to check her friend by putting two fingers next to her open lips. When she felt the warm air on her finger tips, she knew instantly that Gianne was still alive. Even her heart beat was heard well enough. Though, she was completely out cold.

"She's alive." she said.

Gage looked from her to Gianne. He began burying his face in her red hair, hugging her even tighter. Sereak stood up and looked down on the two. Gianne was missing, but in the most unusual place. That Titan ate her, but hacked her out?

Sereak turned back to the fallen Titan and witnessed something else shocking. At the nape of the neck, something was emerging out. Sereak narrowed her eyes and noticed the shape of the figure. It looked like a skinny human tugging it's upper body out of the pink Titan flesh. When a sticky substance uncovered his face, Sereak's eyes widened again.

_Eren._

"Mikasa, wait!" Armin called out.

Sereak saw Mikasa leap from the rooftops and run towards her brother. For an instant, Mikasa seemed so young with that perplexed and hopeful expression she had on. When she gets to him, her arms instantly embraced his body. After a few moments, she began to cry. Gage also looked up, his eyes very teary. _What was going on? I thought Eren was dead?_

"Was Eren, that Titan all along?" Gage asked, not sure if he should believe what he just said.

"I don't know…" Sereak replied. She looked back at Gianne. "What we just witness today, is this real?"

***Author's Note: Really got nothing to say. I just had to post this before I leave. Which is right now. **

**I'll be leaving for Germany in a few minutes, but I wanted to post this before I left because, I felt like Rikken needed to be introduced now. RagingKoopatroopa has been waiting long enough. Hope you all like it! I'll be back in the United States in ten days! In the meantime, hope you all enjoy the lovely spring session! And please review and support!**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Bulter: FlyBoy56**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**-Rikken Talicron: RagingKoopatroopa**

**-Phoenix **


	7. Are We Friend or Foe

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy!**

**Chapter Seven: Are We Friend or Foe**

Gianne never expected to be the first ever human to sit inside a Titan's mouth. Somehow, it was as if she wasn't capable of dying.

She was thankful her limbs were still attached to her. It was normal for someone to lose a leg or arm before being swallowed. Expected, the Titan right now was trying its best to suck her down, but the blade she drove into its tongue prevented her from doing so. Gianne gripped her hilt tightly and pulled herself forward. The moist cavern reeked, making Gianne breathe only through her mouth. Whenever the Titan opened its mouth to give an ear popping roar, Gianne used the moment to try and escape, but the exit always snapped shut. Her heart quickened its pace as she felt her body sliding down. Her movement stopped when she held on to her hilt and tried pushing down the blade deeper into the muscle. She was going to live, no matter what.

"Gianne. Gianne."

It was that same voice she heard before she was eaten. Was the person outside? Is someone going to help her? The Titans movement made her squirm around the mouth; making her barely touching the back of the tongue.

"Gianne. Kill them all. Kill them all."

Now it was different. She shook again. Gianne could feel every movement this Titan was making. When the cavern opened up to let out another roar, Gianne gritted her teeth and endured the ear shattering noise. The Titan tried again to shake her off its tongue, but she kept holding on for dear life. There was no way some Titan was going to finish her. She wasn't going to die.

"Kill them all. I'll kill them all. I'll kill 'em. More."

Why did the voice sound so similar to someone she knew? That determined and wrathful tone reminded her of a certain teal eyed boy. Then it came to her. Eren must be around here. He was trying to save her. He was going to kill this Titan! Gianne could feel heat on her legs. She was close to the throat again. Both her hands ached. She waited for her savior to help her.

"Kill them all. I'll show you Gianne. Gianne. More. More."

The mouth ripped open again, making Gianne witness something strange in the outside world. The Titan she was in right now was fighting other ones. One punched cased the opposing Titan to fall. A kick caused one smaller Titan to fly towards a building. _A Titan fighting its own kind?_

"Kill them all. Gianne. Gianne. Kill them all."

Where was Eren? She couldn't spot him after the teeth came together again. Was it someone else or is he even here? Gianne listened to the voice over and over again. It still seemed utterly familiar. It was definitely Eren's voice. Her body swayed around again. Closing her eyes, she thought about him._ Eren_, she thought and repeated, _Eren, Eren, Eren._

"Gianne. Help. Kill them all."

It was him. That was the sound of his voice. Where was he though? She thought about him again_, _but spoke out this time. "Eren, where are you? Eren, Eren!"

"Here. Kill them all. Gianne. Here."

Gianne still didn't understand what that meant. Eren could hear her, but he wasn't even here. Though, something came to her mind. Feeling the Titan give another punch and roar, she listened to the voice more closely again. What felt like for hours, Gianne tried thinking deeper into this mystery.

"Eren's… not here, but is here. Eren… where are you?" she said to herself. Her body began to rock more violently. Her hands grew numb from pain.

Though, while she was thinking, the Titan gave another loud roar. The volume was so great, it finally made her hands slipped from the hilt, causing her to scream and fall down the throat.

-:-:-:-

The air was much sweeter. It was cool and easy to inhale. After her lungs were filled, only one word came out of her mouth.

"Eren…" Gianne exhaled.

He was the only one on her mind. The only one she could remember. Eren was with her, though, she didn't know how. Physically or in spirit, he was with her. Gage abruptly came to her thoughts like a sudden stranger.

"Gianne?" he whispered. Gage was with her. A light peeked through her vision until her eyes were widely open. Just like always, Gage and Sereak were right in front of her. Their looks, however, were difficult to figure out.

"Huh?" Gianne sighed.

Where was she? What happened to the Titan?

When her vision finally became clear, she scanned her new surroundings uncomfortably. A part of Wall Rose was right in front of them, making Gianne wonder if they were out of Trost or not. There were many Garrison soldiers looking in one specific direction. She couldn't see their faces, but the way they were quivering and tightening the grip of their swords solidly told Gianne that something threatening was amongst them. A sudden chill went down her spine when she spotted Mikasa in a defensive position with her swords and Armin and Eren right behind her. Eren looked weak and perplexed. Gianne knew she was feeling the same way.

Averting her attention to Captain Kitt–the man who order the new trainees to evacuate the citizens of Trost–he stepped forward, looking more fearful and anxious then how he normally does. Just like the other soldiers, he directed his attention right to Eren.

"Trainee Jaegar, along with Trainee Ackerman and Trainee Arlert. What you're doing right now is an act of treason. We may decide to kill you on the spot!"

Eren looked at him intently. So did Gianne.

"W-What is going on? Where are we?" she asked Sereak.

Sereak's glowering look melted to a rather relief expression. Gage, too, seemed eager to hug her for some reason. Gianne felt another presence behind her. Turning around, there was a young man with a scar on his left cheek and welding goggles. With his arms crossed over his chest, he eyed Gianne skeptically.

"Eren is a Titan, Gianne." Sereak said. "And he ate you."

The words slowly progressed in her brain. Gianne felt too weak to think at the moment. There was so much energy drained out of her. Gage had to hold her up just to keep her from falling forward. When Sereak's words finally sunk in, Gianne felt her eyes widened with disbelief.

"What? That's not true! I'm still alive!" Gianne exclaimed.

"Don't shout, idiot." she replied.

"Gianne it's true, Eren really was a Titan and he did eat you." Gage said, trying to convince her. "We don't know how or why, but he hacked you out. You were in a sack substance before I cut you out. We thought you were dead."

"Stop lying to me! I'm not in the mood for games at the moment!" Gianne spat harshly.

"Hush you little bitch." the young man behind her ordered. Gianne rotated her head to glare at him.

"Who the hell are you?"

Before he could answer, Captain Kitt cut in with his booming voice. "If you attempt to lie to us, or make a single move, we will fire a HE Projectile on you immediately. We will not hesitate!" He points up to the other side of the wall were a noticeable cannon pointed straight towards Eren and his companions.

"This is completely insane!" Gianne cried. "How inhuman can you people get?"

"Enough Gianne, this is what has to be done in order to get answers. Eren may not lie though, so the cannon will be a useless threat." Sereak said, eyeing Eren down. "Actually, you never know what the outcome is going to be."

"Sereak is right, Gianne. If anything happens, just stay behind us." Gage told her. Gianne took that offensively.

"Are you saying I can't take care of myself?"

"You're weak and exhausted, I don't think you can." Gage said.

Even though he was talking to her, he kept glaring down in Eren's direction, just like Sereak. Gianne had enough of this foolishness. She remembered being in the Titan's mouth and hearing her name over again. She remembered how she was swallowed, but still managed to survive. How could Eren do all that to her? Before she could talk again, Captain Kitt asked Eren a rather straight forward question.

"Answer me right now! What are you, a man or a Titan?"

It took Eren a moment to answer. His eyes wandered anxiously to each soldier, who still had their swords point towards him. He got a good look at Gianne, who stared blankly back at him. Somehow, she knew he was confused about this whole event. It was easy to read his face. His eyes kept blinking, his lips trembled to find words, and sweat rode down the side of his face despite the fact that the walls shadow was casted over him. He was looking for an answer, and Gianne was unable to give him one. Without another thought, Eren returned his attention back to Captain Kitt and replied to him.

"I… I d-don't understand the question!"

"Fuck…" Gianne muttered under her breath. _He should've said man, and then the situation would come out easier, _she thought.

"Monster!" Captain Kitt cried in alarm. Gianne took a moment to look at his face. He was scared, just like everyone else. She could tell he want this boy dead very soon. "Try that again, and I'll blow you to pieces. It just takes an instant! You won't have time to reveal your true form!"

"My true form?" Eren asks.

"I'm losing my patients now." the man from behind says. Gianne and her friends turn to look at him. "If this brat is just playing with us, then I don't see the point. He's probably stalling to keep himself alive for a good amount of time. I say, we lock him up until the real experts get here."

"The real experts, Rikken?" Gage questions.

"The Survey Corps, stupid, we actually know how to handle Titans. These interior Garrison soldiers are just threatening the brat because their afraid to get close to him. If he turns into his Titan form again, they would be too scared to fight him. They don't know a thing about making sacrifices."

"My father was a Garrison soldier, and he sacrificed all he had just to save my friend during the fall of Shiganshina." Sereak said, her voice growling in defense. Gianne knew she was very emotion about that subject.

This Rikken man just rolled his eyes. "I said interior, not exterior."

The conversation was cut short when Captain Kitts yelled out Gianne's name. This managed to catch everyone's interest.

"Eren Jaeger, we have witnesses of you regurgitating Trainee Gianne Starken and you emerging from the Titan that did so! If you were trying to eat this innocent soldier, then you are considered a Titan. Humanity has permitted an unknown creature like you to infiltrate Wall Rose. Even if you are trainees given to us by the King, the safest course of action is to eliminate the risk immediately. My thinking is correct! The Armored Titan that destroyed Wall Maria could appear at any minute."

Gianne felt both Gage and Sereak shiver when the captain mentioned the Armored Titan. Even though Gianne didn't remember seeing it before, she bet it was as horrible as the Colossal Titan. _Just the thought makes me want to seclude myself from everything right now. _

"Right now, humanity is at risk of annihilation! Do you understand? We can't waste any more time or troops on you. I will fire a HE Projectile on you without hesitation!" the captain points again, his body quivering after each word he spoke out.

A short woman with platinum blonde hair and glasses muttered to the captain, but Gianne wasn't able to make out the words. Though, seeing her face, she looked rather impatient and frustrated as well. Another soldier calls out; asking permission to attack. Mikasa wouldn't allow it. She stepped forward, raising her blades slightly and eyeing the soldiers menacingly. Her voice sounded sharp, like her blades.

"My specialty is tearing through flesh. If necessary I am willing to demonstrate at any time. If anyone would like to experience it firsthand, I invite them to approach first."

Gianne silently cheered for Mikasa, ignoring her hatred towards the girl for a few seconds. At least she knew someone who thought Eren was innocent. If Mikasa was able to stand up for Eren, then Gianne was able to as well. She didn't want to stay to the side and watch the fate of Eren Jeager. That was her friend. She knew Eren would do the same for her if she was in his position. If Eren was a Titan, then Gianne now managed to believe it. Everyone wanted the truth, and both Gianne and Eren were the only ones who could give it to these soldiers.

Using the rest of the energy she had, Gianne pushed herself forward and sprinted away from her friends, despite their calls. When she was a few meters ahead, she screamed out for everyone to hear her voice.

"Eren is not a threat!" she screeched. Her peach skin was paler than before and her red hair was messier than usual. She didn't look soldier like at all, but all the soldiers were fully aware of the girl now. Even Mikasa raised an eyebrow, showing interest. Gianne continued. "Eren Jaeger is not a threat! Yes, he threw me up, but he was really trying to save me!"

"Young lady, what are you trying to say? Monsters don't help humans!" Captain Kitt said.

He was right. She needed some proof. Evidence to prove Eren was trying to help her. She was able to recall his cries. The ones she heard when she was in his mouth. He just wanted to kill the Titans, and protect her, nothing else. He had no intention to eat her at all. The swallowing was only natural. She had to believe that was true. Except, how could she hear him? Would it sound insane if she told these wild soldiers that she heard his voice? That she may have telepathic powers? That won't only cost Eren's life, but hers as well. She had to try though. They already believe she was a helpless trainee who didn't understand what was going on. Maybe saying what she heard won't be so horrible.

"I heard his voice and h-his real motivations!" she screamed back. Her voice cracked. She was really weak. "He just wanted to kill the Titans and save my life! I'm not saying these from my feelings; I'm only telling you what–" she stopped herself. Taking a breath, she revealed what she was trying to say. "What I heard… in… in my_ head_!"

The area was silent. Each soldier was trying to take in what Gianne had just revealed. All were rather confused by her words, including Sereak and Gage. Some looked even more scared then they were before. Finally, Captain Kitt glowered down on her.

"What are you trying to say? That you have telepathic powers? You can read others thoughts?"

Gianne thought that sounded just right, but instead of humans, she could only hear Eren's mind. So she nodded. "Yes, but I can only hear Eren's thoughts when he turned into a Titan. But believe me when I tell you, he was not intending to attack humanity in anyway. The Titans and my safety were his only motivations. I promise you, Eren is fully human!"

Gianne hoped her words were able to convince them to let Eren go. She hoped this would be enough proof to release him and show he was no threat. What seemed like a miracle worker instantly turned to sudden chaos.

Two soldiers solidly grabbed both her arms. Gianne cried with surprise.

"Gianne!" Gage called to her in alarm. Before she could turn to him, the soldiers dragged her across the yard. Gianne tried to wrench herself free from their grips, but the full grown men were stronger than her. Suddenly, they tossed her to the pit with Mikasa, Eren, and Armin. When she face planted into the ground, Armin greeted her with a concerned look.

"Gianne, are you okay?"

"I'm spitting out rocks and dirt, do I look okay?" she replied harshly. She wasn't annoyed with Armin or the two soldiers that threw her into a death zone. No, she was mostly disappointed that her plan didn't work at all. Captain Kitt talked again.

"Gianne Starken, sister of one of humanity's greatest soldiers, Kota Starken, I cannot believe this traitor to be fully human. I do believe what you said to be true, but like before, we don't have time to deal with scum like you at the moment. You may also be a Titan, with this sort of power you have."

Gianne turned to Gage, who tried to shove his way towards the pit. Many Garrison soldiers were holding him back. He looked wild with his angry, red face and his teeth clenching tightly. He was trying everything he could to help her, that's what he promised before the three friends went into the military. The thought made her a little happy inside. Except, it went away when Kitt continued.

"To Eren Jaeger and Gianne Starken, forgive me for doing this." he began to raise his hand, the signal to drop the cannonball on the group. "There's no avoiding the fact, that you may be… the devil."

His hand went up straight.

Mikasa screamed and ran to Eren.

Gianne heard her name by both Sereak and Gage, but sat there dumbfounded.

The cannon fired with a boom.

Eren squirmed out of Mikasa grip and ran towards both Gianne and Armin.

Gianne felt Eren's arm around her.

Then, after a sound of sudden lightning, Gianne screamed from a familiar migraine.

-:-:-:-

Antonio Rodrigues could recall a ton of insane events that happened in his life; his town getting demolished by the Titans, his own people getting eaten, and the return of the Colossal Titan at Trost.

Eren emerging from a vaporizing Titan carcass was the worst of all.

Antonio didn't know what to feel about that. First a Titan comes along to kill his own kind, throws up Gianne's body and it turns out Eren did all that? _That doesn't make sense._

He turned to Annie who sat next to him on the bench they were on. Jean, Reiner, and Bertolt were amongst the two feeling like they just witnessed the impossible happen. Reiner and Bertolt took it more personally, as well as Annie.

"Annie, what's going to happen now?" he asked her.

He remembered his first encounter with her, when humanity was evacuating to Wall Rose after the Titans attacked. He was alone at the time with no one to talk to and afraid that his lonely life was going to get him into a lot of trouble for his future. Then, he met that apathetic blonde girl who seemed to understand the situation he was in. They were both alone in this cold world, with no one to rely on. Sticking together for the next couple of days, they both decided to rely on each other until they were ready to be alone again. That's what Annie told him. So far, he didn't want to leave her side yet.

"Who knows?" she shrugged carelessly.

Antonio sulked and turned to the three girls that were talking to each other; Sylvia, Ymir, and Krista. They looked depressed as they retold their current events and the many trainees that were killed along the way. As a matter of fact, when another wagon full of injured soldiers rolled by, this made the mood even more hopeless. Antonio sighed before the unexpected noise was heard.

_Boom!_

Everyone jumped from their skins, including Antonio. Hopping off the bench, he ran towards the clearing to get a better look at the smoke coming from the side of the wall. Reiner ran by his side, looking more anxious than ever. Antonio has never seen this fierce ox look so frightened before. Normally he was calm about these unforeseen conditions.

Reiner was wild.

The tall blonde ran in that direction after activating his maneuver gear. Frozen, Antonio watched Bertolt and Annie follow in his direction while Jean called out to them. Having no other choice, Antonio followed along as well, interested in this new insane event.

-:-:-:-

After the lightning, Sereak heard the sound of bones clicking.

She looked up finally and found smoke surrounding the whole entire area. Gage was pushed away by the other Garrison soldiers, looking perplexed like everyone else. Sereak uncovered her mouth when the smoke began to clear. It was soon translucent, making her see a large silhouette. When everyone was able to finally see what it was, the whole army gasped with utter disbelief.

There, stood half the body of a Titan, skinless and deformed. Half of its body was covered with muscle and tissue while the other half was nothing but bones. The rib cage was shown. Looking more closely, Sereak gaped at Gianne, Mikasa, and Armin for being under there. It was almost like a cage for them. Protecting them?

"I guess the secret is now out." Sereak muttered, annoyed by Eren's actions. She knew he was a Titan, but he didn't have to turn into one right now. Though, she was more concerned for Gianne's safety. Armin and Mikasa were the last people she wanted to worry about.

The whole Garrison army was now panicking. Screams and cries were well heard all around, asking what to do and if they should attack. Captain Kitt ordered some soldiers to reload the cannon, as if that was their only option left. Even Rikken looked puzzled to what his next move was. Since he was a part of the Survey Corps, Titans shouldn't frighten him easily. But he probably never dealt with a Titan like this.

"The smoke's clearing up!"

"Attack as soon as you see them!"

"Let's end this already!"

Sereak had to pull Gage back when the Titan began to smoke again. She knew too well that he wanted to go after Gianne, but for now, they had to see what was going to happen next. The smoke thickened, hiding the large Titan and everyone under it.

"Sereak let me go!" Gage cried, forcing his way forward.

"No! I need you to stay here and wait until the smoke clears. I'm sure Gianne is fine." she tried to reassure.

Gage turned his head to glare at her. Sereak has never seen him so furious before. "You said that the last time, and we found Gianne in Eren's stomach."

She hated to admit it, but Gage was right. Sereak wasn't sure if Gianne was okay. Eren just turned into a Titan so suddenly, he could crush her. She wished for a few minor injuries on her friend's body, nothing else. If Gianne did die, her whole world would change dramatically. Though, she had to keep Gage's hopes up so he wouldn't do anything stupid. She was calm, while he was shaking violently.

"Just be patient, okay Gage. I don't know if Gianne is okay or not, but the only way to find out is when the smoke clears."

"I can't wait Sereak, Gianne could be seriously hurt!"

"I know, but we have to stay calm about it." she said. This made him snap.

"Are you insane, how canI stay calm when our friend is over there under a Titan's rib cage?!"

Gage wasn't the only one who snapped. Sereak threw her fist at the right side of his face hard, making her knuckles cry in agony.

Gage fell back a little and put a hand on his now swollen cheek. He was completely thrown off by this. Sereak glared him down, like a mother trying to tame her cub. Over the years she knew Gage, she told herself that he didn't deserve one of her assaults. It was always for Gianne and when she acted out of control. Right now, Sereak felt like Gianne was with her.

"Enough! I had it with your stubbornness!" she screamed at him, causing a few Garrison soldiers to look towards her. "Walls of Heaven I feel like I'm talking to Gianne right now! What happened to the Gage who's always calm, cool, and collective? It was always much easier talking to him!"

Gage just stared at her, his eyes wide. His hand still didn't leave his burning cheek. Rikken even took the time to pay attention to this outburst.

Sereak continued, softer this time, "Yes, Gianne is in danger again, but what can we do? All those Garrison soldiers are blocking our path to her and even if we attempted to get to her, they would think we're enemies to humanity as well, and that will make this situation even worse. The best thing we can do right now is to trust Gianne and the others to make a decision about what's going to happen next. We both know Eren and his friends are good at making those, and Gianne is smart enough to go along with it. We have to have faith in them Gage. Gianne doesn't need us right now."

Gage looked away when she was done, scowling at the floor. Sereak knew his feelings were taking over and when they did, he would get out of hands. Though, she didn't need that right now. At this very moment, Gage had to make a decision. Have faith in the people who have become their enemies or go and become one too.

However, Sereak knew Gage would immediately pick the second option. She hoped her speech would change his mind. So far, it seemed to work.

"Okay…" he muttered apprehensively.

Sereak sighed with relief, as well as Rikken.

"At least there's one person here still has her head screwed on." the young man said.

Sereak took that as a compliment.

"Hold your fire!" the Captain orders.

Sereak, Gage, and Rikken look up to see the skeleton shaking vigorously. Suddenly, a few cracks were spotted on the bones of the rib cage, and soon, they expanded. Loud cracks were heard–a sound that made Sereak sick to her stomach–and the structure began to break apart. In a matter of seconds, the earth shook slightly from the bones impact and smoke flew towards the whole army.

"Ah!" Sereak cried.

Covering her face, Gage and Rikken did the same as well. After a while, they were able to open their eyes again without their sight getting blurry.

"You okay?" Gage asked her. Sereak nodded.

"Fire on my mark, and not a moment before!" the Captain ordered soldiers by the cannon.

It felt like an eternity waiting for Gianne and the others. Sereak was having doubt about the faith she put into them. Gage looked more impatient than before, but Sereak hoped he would stay calm before doing anything that he was going to regret.

"When the hell are they going to show themselves?" Gage asked.

"Just be patient, it takes time. Like birds who are trying to learn how to fly, you can't dive in yet." Sereak said.

Gage gave her a look. "May the Titans take you and swallow you whole Sereak, so I won't have to hear another one of your animal advices again."

Sereak wouldn't been frustrated by his insult, but she couldn't help the ghost smile that formed on her face. _Everything will be okay_, she thought to herself.

Finally, the noises of hard footsteps were heard from within the smoke. At first, the person didn't reveal themselves until they broke free from the smoke and covered their face. The Captain squeaks and looks anxious again.

"Freeze!" he ordered the person.

Uncovering his face from his arms, Armin Arlert holds them up high in a nonthreatening position. His face looked determined, but also afraid at the same time.

"Shit…" Sereak muttered with disappointment.

-:-:-:-

Gianne will never get used to the migraines that appear so suddenly when a Titan is around. Though, this one seemed to knock her out for a few seconds. During those few seconds, a dream appeared in her mind.

It was the one from before, about her running in the forest, trying to escape the Titan that was hot on her heels. Those same words also kept replaying: _Run. Run as fast as you can_.

_Not now, why now?_ She thought angrily.

It ended the same way. She jumped from a cliff and began falling to her death. Then, she opened her eyes.

Looking up, clouds of smoke were surrounding her and two other figures beside her. Eren and Mikasa.

Hearing her grunt, Eren looked down and gave a sigh of relief when she stood up. "Good, you're awake." he said.

"What just happened?" Gianne questioned.

The last thing she remembered before the dream was a shockwave and hearing the sound of lightning crack. Then, before the dream took over, she was next to Armin as they both sat inside a cage made of bones. Now, the bones seemed to be gone. The structure that held Gianne, Armin, and Mikasa together was now demolished.

"Eren saved us." Mikasa told her.

"How?"

"I don't know," Eren admitted. "But, it was an instinct. I just bit my hand and soon, I'm a Titan that blocked the cannonball from killing us."

Gianne's eyes widen, believing ever word he was telling her. "You turned into a Titan again?"

"Oh right, you were knocked out before you could see it." Eren said.

"Why is that?" Mikasa asked her suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. Gianne figured she was remembering her confessing about hearing Eren's voice in her mind. "You just screamed and passed out so suddenly."

"I don't know." Gianne said. "But, since Eren turned into a Titan, I just got the migraine so unexpectedly. Maybe, it's a sign to know when he's transforming." she guessed.

"Just me?" Eren asked.

"I'm not sure. Do you know any other people who are like you that I can do a test run with?" Gianne asked rather sarcastically. That last comment made her feel like Sylvia.

Eren looked uncomfortable while Mikasa kept glaring down at her. "Now's not the time for jokes Starken. Armin is about to risk his life by trying to convince the Garrisons that you and Eren are not threats."

"He is?"

"Yes, so show a little more gratitude."

"Are you kidding me Ackerman?! You want to fight now?!"

"Enough you two!" Eren cut them off from their argument. "I think I can hear Captain Kitts."

Gianne could as well. When the smoke began to clear a little more, Gianne was able to make out the soldiers and the captain that kept pointing their weapons at them. Armin was standing tall with his arms raised to show he wasn't a threat. Gianne watched the scene closely.

"You finally showed your true colors you monster!" Captain Kitt said. "I'll give you the signal to fire, you hear me?!"

Armin barks out, "They're not an enemy of Mankind! We're willing to disclose every piece of information we've gained!"

"I'm not going to listen to you begging for your lives! It's too late for this! We've already seen what he really is!" the Captain yells back to Armin, his hands balling into tight fists. "You say he's not an enemy, but you've yet to show me any proof of that! If you can't do that, then we'll just eliminate him and the threat he poses! Including the witch girl and her mind reading ways!"

Armin puts his hands down, "There's no need for proof! It doesn't matter if we see them as allies or an enemy!"

"What did you say?"

"You said there were loads of witnesses! Then they should've also seen Eren fighting the Titans! And they would've seen the Titans ganging up on him!"

A few Garrison soldiers began lowering down their blades, agreeing to what Armin just announced. Gianne thought that was a smart move on his part. She listened to him more as he continued.

"Which means the Titans see him the same way they do us; as prey. Even when he ate a human, he still hacked her out still fully alive. He had no desire to eat her like how the other Titans would. We can rack our brains as much as we like, but it's not going to change that fact!"

Soldiers began muttering in agreement, having second thoughts about the situation. Most of the weapons now were lowered, giving Gianne high hopes. Both Eren and her gave quick looks and grinned. _This is going to work!_

"Prepare to attack!" the Captain shouts. "Don't fall for their tricks!"

"What…?" Gianne muttered, apoplectic with rage at the captain's orderd. _Captain Kitts Verman, you are a coward._

"Their actions will forever be beyond our comprehensions. Don't you see? They can turn into humans, speak our language, and deceive all of us! We can't let them have their way any longer!" he engages the soldiers once more.

Once again, all weapons are pointed towards the group, fearing rising in them. Gianne spotted Gage and Sereak finally, looking terror-stricken. Was this the end? She wanted to die as a hero to humanity, not a traitor. Though, she wasn't.

Armin looks back for a belief second, looking for some backup. Gianne watched Eren nod to him before he turned back to the soldiers and saluted to them. This one seemed so perfect.

"I am a soldier, sworn to give everything I have for the sake of Mankind's rebirth! Nothing would make me happier than dying got that cause! If we combine Eren's Titan powers and Gianne's powers with our remaining forces, the recapture of this town could be with our grasp! For Mankind's glory, I will use what little time I have left to affirm for their tactical worth to us!"

Everything was silent.

Gianne gawked at Armin for a long time. Armin was breathing heavily, but he wasn't shaking at all. He still stood tall and firm with his salute tight in place. Gage and Sereak also looked completely lost for words. Seeing a couple figures on her right, Gianne looked up to see some of her trainees on the roof watching the scene closely with anxious expressions. It was Jean, Antonio, Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt. They all seemed dumbfounded as well. The soldiers began having debates with one another as they lowered their weapons. One soldier walked up to the captain, only to be shut off completely by a sharp. "Quiet!"

"Crap!" Gianne cursed.

Mikasa attempts to grab new blades with her hilt while Eren brings his hand up to his mouth. Gianne didn't have her weapons with her. She felt so powerless and useless, how could she defend herself now? Armin still stood his ground, like a statue. Captain Kitts began to raise his hand again. Gianne's only friends call out her name in alarm, Sereak looking so frantic while Gage seemed ready to cry. Kitts was about to straighten his hand when suddenly, he was stopped.

"Stop it."

Behind him was the man who prevented Kitts hand from signaling the next cannonball. He was a tall old person with a grey mustache on his face. The only hair he had left. His facial expression was extremely serene, as if the world was just flowing by smoothly around him. He wore something around his uniform, almost like a sign to show he was in the high ranks. Gianne could recognize him from before, in training camp, she saw his face a couple times.

"Commander Pixis!"

The commander had a comfortable smile planted on his face as he looked down at Armin, who kept standing still. "Can't you see that boy's splendid salute?" he lets go of Kitts and walks a few steps before stopping again. "I only just got here, but I was informed of the situation on the way. You go take command of the reinforcements. I get the feeling I should listen to what these kids have to say."

Armin fell to his knees, sobbing a little with joy. Mikasa and Eren eyes widen with surprise while Gianne felt a whole ton of weight get lifted from her chest. She could finally breathe normal again.

"Gianne!" Gage calls out.

She looks in his direction and watched him shove some Garrison soldiers away to get to her. Sereak was right behind him as the two ran to the group. Before she knew it, Gage tackled her into a bear hug that caused them both to fall to the floor. Gage squeezed all the oxygen out of her while Sereak was by her side holding her hand tightly.

Soon, the reunion caused Gianne to tear up and cry.

-:-:-:-

Gianne still couldn't believe that this whole invasion happen in the morning. The battle felt like it was going on for days, not hours. When you were on top of the inner wall of Wall Rose, you were able to see the sunset sink into the horizon, announcing that the day was going to be over soon.

Commander Pixis walked along as he looked down below the walls, interested in the Titans that tried to desperately climb up. Pixis could only cackle at the sight. He really was a peculiar man.

Gianne had Gage and Sereak behind her while Eren had Mikasa and Armin. Everyone was together now. Pixis only commanded Gianne, Eren, and his friends to come along, but Gage and Sereak insisted that they would be a part of this discussion as well. Where ever Gianne went, they had to be a part too. Gianne was grateful for friends like that.

"I see. We'll know everything if we go to that basement." Pixis said, finally breaking away the silence. Everyone was patient enough. They wanted to hear what the commander had to say.

"Yes." Eren said, looking tired. He was knelt down with his eyes wide and baggy. Gianne wondered if she looked worse. "Will you believe me?"

"Since you have no concrete proof of this, I'll just keep that in mind for now." Pixis looks back calmly. "However, I think I can tell when someone is telling the truth. So I will guarantee your lives."

Everyone sighs, pleased about the good news. Pixis was trying to be a fair and honest man. It was much easier than dealing with Captain Kitts.

"Cadet Arlert."

"Yes, sir?" Armin salutes again.

"Earlier, you said that if we used what you called "Titan power" and Gianne's power, it might be possible to retake this town. Do you think that's really possible? Or was that a last-ditch effort to save your lives?"

Everyone paused and listens closely to what Armin has to say. Gianne was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, they were going to get executed immediately.

Armin continues with an frank smile. "It was both. What I was trying to say in that moment… was that Eren, as a Titan, could carry that large boulder to seal the gateway that was destroyed. Gianne's purpose was to supervise him and read his mind if anything bad was to happen, just for precaution. It was just something I thought of on the fly. I hope you would see… how both Eren and Gianne's powers could change our present situation."

Pixis turns around with a grunt, looking back at Trost. Gianne couldn't believe what she was hearing. Armin just raised both her and Eren's image into humanity's last hopes. But Gianne was only here to guide Eren if the situation got out of hands. It was mostly Eren's responsibility to seal the whole.

Armin continues, "Of course, I said it in the desperate hope of saving our lives."

"In the desperate hope of saving yourselves," Pixis repeats, "now those are words I can believe." Taking out what looked like alcohol and giving himself a long sip of his drink, Pixis then turns to walk over to Eren and Gianne and kneels towards them. "So, Cadet Jaeger, and Cadet Starken."

"Yes sir?" They both said in unison.

"Can you two seal the hole?"

Everyone looks surprised by the question. Gianne tried to get her head straight and speak her mind before Pixis got the wrong impression of her.

"I can't turn into a Titan like Eren, sir. All I can do is hear his voice when he's in his Titan form. I will help guide him, if he's willing to do it." she said. Everyone turns to Eren, who looks completely dazed and puzzled. With a nervous stutter, he speaks.

"Huh! Well, I... I don't know anything more about myself than these people here do. That's why, I may be able to, or I may not. I don't want to give an irresponsible answer."

Pixis chuckles, "Yes you're right. Forgive me. That was the wrong question to ask."

Eren looks up to him. Gianne saw Gage raise a brow at Pixis' last statement. Suddenly, the commander's calm personality turned into a rather solemn one. Gianne was caught off guard by that. The old man looked ready to sock Eren in the jaw if he gave him the wrong answer.

"Will you do it, or won't you? Which will it be?"

Eren blinks while everyone else watch the two with interest. Pixis gestures him to look back at the world. Eren turns back and quivers. This was a hard decision to make right now, but it had to be done. Gianne was completely in to helping Eren as much as she could, but the question was, was Eren willing to do it. For the sake of humanity? For the sake of his friends? He finally turns back, his hard eyes showing determination. 

"Alright." Eren finally says. "I'll do it! I don't know if I can seal the hole or not. But, I _will_ do it."

***Author's Note: I know what you're all thinking. FINALLY, right? I know, I deserve to be punished for this long update. Please don't hate me though, I do have good reasons:**

**My school sucks. Yes, I take creative writing classes and I had to focus on a lot of shit during that time, and I had to deal with finals. I will only say this once and I hope you all will understand. FINALS ARE THE WORST TESTS EVER! Literally, my Chemistry Test was 150 questions and my Biology Test was 180. Do you know what that does to a girl's brain? It makes her want to kill herself. (Warning: I did not mean that in a serious way so please do not take what I last said seriously).**

**And my other reason was that this chapter was very hard to write, and I think you would understand why. But it's done. And to the people who thought Black Skies was dead, well… WRONG!**

**Now that summer has rolled along, I will be able to write more chapters and possible make them much longer than before. Though, there is one bad news to this. I don't think I'll be posting every week, but I'm going to try. If I don't, please don't hate me and try to bear with it. I will not end Black Skies on a bad note.**

**Now, I want to make this story and the OC characters a little more interesting so I've decided to try something I've never done before. My friend is going to ask a random question and I will have to answer it in my honest opinion about your OCs. So, question of the day (chapter?) is…**

QUESTION #1: If any of the Black Skies OC characters had a super power, what would it be?

Gianne: The ability to fly

Gage: Super strength

Sereak: The ability to shape-shift into different animals

Daedre: Super speed

Antonio: Time control

Sylvia: Invisibility

Conrad: Mind control

Rikken: Fire manipulation

**Hope you guys like my answers. If you also want to give me a question to answer, feel free to do so. Until next time, I hope you guys have a great week!**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Bulter: FlyBoy56**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**-Rikken Talicron: RagingKoopatroopa**

**-Phoenix **


	8. We Move Forward

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy the long awaited chapter!**

**Chapter Eight: We Move Forward**

"Alright," Eren finally says. "I'll do it! I don't know if I can seal the hole or not. But, I will do it."

Gianne, Mikasa, Gage, Sereak, and Armin watched Eren carefully. Commander Pixis just stared at him, now accepting his final answer. The elder man showed his genuine smile once more and chuckled. He was back to his peaceful nature.

"Excellently said," he patted Eren's shoulders. "You have the heart of a lion."

Sereak looked up quickly. Gage gave her a weird look.

Commander Pixis stood up from Eren and Gianne, abandoning the two as he moved towards the edge of the wall. The others watched him look down from where he was, calling out to the soldiers patiently waiting for direct orders.

"Attention staff officers, we have a plan to flesh out!"

"Wait, we can't actually move forward with this kind of strategy, it was just something I tossed out there!" Armin said.

"We can't just desert it either." Gage said. His arms crossed over his chest, thinking deeply about the situation.

"He's right," Sereak spoke, directing her attention to Armin. "_You_ were the one who came up with this plan in order to save Eren and Gianne. We have to make them both the solution to this problem, or else they'll be executed. So you better not be backing out of your own plan now."

"N-No, I didn't mean it like that, it's just… it was just an insane idea that I thought wasn't going to be put to use. I expected the Commander to dissect some parts of my plan and redesign them to make it his own. I didn't expect him to actually go along with it."

"I was thinking the same thing, except, he seems like a guy who knows what he's doing, like he's got everything under control." Eren said. Everyone turned to him.

"You think so?" Armin said.

"I do."

Gianne also stood up from where she was knelt down. Her gaze was glued to the floor, deeply in thought after this whole event. After Eren told his story and revealed his key that unlocked secrets in the basement of his home, Gianne was getting curious about certain things.

"Gianne?" Gage seemed to notice her. However, she ignored him and turned her attention to Eren.

"Eren… there was something in the Commanders eyes that reveal suspicion about the whole story you told him." He looked up at her, their eyes locked hard on one another. The others watched them intently. "Even though he tried to hide it, he seemed almost frightened about what we revealed. Like he knew this wasn't just natural."

"I pretty sure he's keen about the problem, Gianne." Eren said.

"What are you talking about?" Gage asked.

"We're talking about another worry we may have to deal with after this mission, and I'm pretty sure the Commander has the same feeling as us." Eren answered.

Everyone was curious, and too puzzled to comprehend what the duo was discussing. However, Armin questioned a little further.

"What's that?"

"The Titans aren't our only foe." Eren revealed.

Gianne nodded in agreement.

The group gasped.

Commander Pixis came back with two more Garrisons by his side.

"Look sharp soldiers, the fate of mankind rest on your shoulders."

-:-:-:-:-

The day was almost over. The multicolor sky was shown with thin clouds floating by. The sky was a mix of orange and red, the color of another defeat from the Titans.

Soldiers from south of Wall Rose were gathered in the next town after Trost. Daedre thought there were more than a hundred men and women–all ages–called here by Commander Pixis Dots. He spotted a majority of familiar faces from the 104th Trainee Corps; Krista, Daz, Ymir, Conrad, and so on. Though, the number was overruled by the amount of new faces. The men and women must've been the Garrison soldiers that were already experienced with their work. Daedre expected them to be brave and strong-willed after Commander Pixis called for a sudden mission. These soldiers did not look battle ready at all. They all kept muttering to each other about the plan to reclaim Trost. Apparently, one Garrison soldier spilled out the secret mission and everyone was frantic about what they just heard.

"A plan to retake Trost?" one soldier said.

"You're kidding, right? I don't know the kind of technology that can seal that hole." another complained.

"Going into Trost would be our deaths!"

"Since we can't seal that hole, all we can do is _die_ defending Wall Rose's gate."

"Damn it… are they that desperate?"

Daedre couldn't hear anymore. He tuned out the hopeless voices and turned his attention to Sylvia. Like everyone else, she was waiting patiently with terror in her eyes. Though, she tried to calm herself down with the help of her witty sarcasm. With a fake smile–and a sudden shiver–she said:

"This place is so lively, right Daedre? I mean, all these words are so spirit lifting."

"You're not very encouraging either." he replied.

She gave him a foreseen glare, "Why would I be? No one seems to mind the negative atmosphere going around here."

"Shouldn't we at least try to think positive thoughts at times like this? Maybe a cheerful attitude will save your life!" he said with a fake smile. Pushing away the long side bang from his eyes, he witnessed Sylvia's glare get even darker.

"Sorry if we can't be so optimistic and _gay_ all the time."

What she just spat to him stung. Though, he wasn't sure if she was referring to his sexuality or his carefree personality. Expect, he never actually told anyone about his interest in men, so he hoped Sylvia meant the second option.

"No! I don't want to die!" Both Daedre and Sylvia turned around to Daz after he shouted out. He was knelt down, shaking, while both his hands squeezed his head. "Let me see my family!"

"Dammit Daz!" Sylvia called to him. "If you grip your head even tighter, you're going to commit your own death!"

This made Daz freak out even more. Out of nowhere, Conrad walked up to the scene and gave Sylvia a look of annoyance. Daedre knew Conrad hated unnecessary commotions.

"Was that really appropriate Shelton?" he questioned her.

"Shut up, no one wanted you here anyway!" she spat back.

"Hey, Daz, you're being too loud…" Marco, who was right next to Daz, tries to comfort him. Daedre didn't know what to do. He too, wanted to get wild and cry to the world about this mission. He too, was also afraid of dying. However, he didn't have a family anymore. He had no one to run to at a time like this. This was his only option left for survival.

The thought made him stroke his pierced ear.

"The ones who can't seem to control themselves are the ones who are going to die faster." Conrad said to Sylvia. "So why don't you get your shit together before you do something stupid."

"You bastard, just because you're in the top ten, that doesn't give you the right to tell the other cadets what to do!"

Conrad narrowed his eyes. "I see why you didn't make it to the top ten. You're noisy voice must've made Commander Keith lower your score on our final testing."

Sylvia's eyes flashed with rage as she flew towards Conrad and swung her fist at his face. With the same determination, Conrad blocked Sylvia's attempt punch with his arm while his other hand wiped out something from his jacket. Daedre watched with awe as Conrad pointed the tip of his short spear to Sylvia's throat. Sylvia froze when she felt the cool tip dig slightly into her olive skin.

"Back away, right now." he ordered calmly.

With a click of her tongue and one last livid look, Sylvia moved away from Conrad while the young man put his spear back into the jacket. Soon, he walked away in another direction.

Sylvia's face was red. Daedre knew he shouldn't bother her right now. Though, his attention was caught when a soldier walked up to Daz, who was still uncontrollable.

"You there! I heard you!" the Garrison soldier called out to him. His face was also quite angry as he glowered down at Daz, who had tears in his eyes. "Are you saying you want to desert your mission?"

Daz swipes his face up with wide eyes. "Yeah! That's right! This is nothing but mass suicide! It's just ridiculous!"

"Have you no respect for humanity? For order? If I choose to, I could kill you this minute!" the soldier placed a hand on his grip, getting ready to draw a blade from his metallic scabbard.

"Go on ahead…" Daz said, standing up. Daedre heard the sharp hissing noise the blade made when it was out. Daz looked ready for a fight for his own life. "It's a hundred times better than being eaten by a Titan!"

"Stop it Daz!" Marco cried and grabbed the boy's shoulders to push him away. Daz didn't enjoy Marco's presence that much.

"No! Let me go! I won't go back there!"

Daz was much louder than Daedre expected. The other soldiers and trainees began looking to one another, searching for an answer to this situation they were put in. Daedre could hear their whispers quite clearly, and it still wasn't very uplifting.

"Did you hear that?"

"Given the circumstances, I don't blame him…"

"Do it…" a male Garrison soldier said, walking up to a girl who was speaking with her friend. "Be loud… and get others to go along as well."

Daedre couldn't believe what he was hearing. Were these soldiers really that despairing? How could he even call them soldiers now, they were being cowards. He felt his body heat up with complete rage. Touching the scar on his cheek, he caressed the mark with his two fingers. Next, he touched his earring again for some slight comfort. It brought memories of home back to him. He had to go back to Shiganshina. He had nowhere else to go.

Suddenly, a young man with a pair of welding goggles strapped to his head and a scar on his left cheek appeared before the male Garrison soldier and the two girls. He wasn't as tall as the man in front of him, but his silver eyes seemed to look down on him. He also didn't wear a Garrison uniform. Daedre felt like an idiot for not noticing the famous Wings of Freedom badge on his jacket.

"Oi." he said, sounding cold as a winter's wind. "Stop encouraging the trainees to retreat from their mission, you son of a bitch. With that attitude, how did you manage to end up in the Garrisons? Better yet, become a soldier? Weakling."

"W-What the hell is you're problem?!" the man furrowed his brows, countering back with a glare. "In the Garrison, a lot of us aren't happy either. We'll take advantage of the chaos and leave!"

"Leave and go where?" Jean said, cutting into the conversation. Daedre didn't notice him before.

"To see my daughter. Eventually, this wall will also fall."

"Cadet Talicorn! Commander Pixis is asking for your presences." a Garrison soldier called, running up to the young man with the goggles.

Talicorn nodded with a blank expression and left the scene. Soon, commotions began breaking out again.

Daedre could only sigh. There had to be one spark of hope someone had to offer. Looking around and seeing all these grim faces, Daedre began to doubt himself. Though, he had to prepare himself for what was about going to come next.

-:-:-:-:-

It felt like hours standing in one position. Antonio felt his legs begin to ache, begging him to bend or crouch down on the floor. Though, he feared that if he moved a muscle, something unwanted would happen. Everyone was waiting for something. An announcement most likely, but when will it start?

Antonio turned to each comrade next to him. Ymir and Krista looked perfectly still, but Connie kept shaking. Sooner or later, he might explode. Annie was nowhere in sight, yet again. Though, he was sure she wanted some alone time. Apparently, Eren getting revealed as a Titan before everyone's eyes seemed to bother her a lot. He decided to break the silences.

"I'm really hungry right now." he said.

Turning, Ymir gave him a weird look while Krista gave him a response.

"I think you can get some bread from the supply area, if it's really important."

"No, that's fine." Antonio sighed. "I just wanted to start a conversation."

"Well no one is in the mood, so shut up." Ymir spat.

Antonio looked to the floor, feeling rather glum again. He wondered how the others were doing, especially Eren, Gianne, and their friends. He thought about the consequences Eren would have to put up with, now that the Garrisons know of his Titan power. When he turned into that skeleton Titan in order to protect his friends from the cannon, Antonio didn't know what to think or believe. Then, Armin's speech about using Eren for some mission to defeat the Titans was mind-blowing. Antonio knew Armin as the very timid intellectual, but somehow, that Armin seemed to be gone. He grew up. Everyone grew up. Antonio wondered if he did as well.

Abruptly, a scream was heard.

"Kill me!"

"Not again…" Ymir muttered. Antonio could fully understand that feeling of irritation. They chaos ended a while ago, but it seems like it was about to repeat once again.

"If you're going to execute me, do it now!"

"You're sure? I'll do it!"

However, before the murmurs of anxiety could increase, a loud roar was heard from above the wall. A volume so great it managed to silence the entire group of soldiers that were gathered in front of Wall Rose. Every person averted their attention to the one man that seemed to have all the answers to the expected mission.

"_Attention!_"

Garrison Commander Pixis.

Following everyone else, Antonio looked up to the man who now stood before them. Commander Pixis had his feet at the edge of the wall with his hands tightly behind his back. On his far left stood Eren Jaeger who was still as a proper soldier should be with that same determined expression plastered on his face. The crowd was dead silent, waiting for the final words to be heard.

The Commander started.

"I shall now explain the plan to retake Trost. For this mission, our objective is to seal the hole where the gate was destroyed. Let me introduce you to the one who will seal the hole for us…"

Pixis gestures a hand towards Eren. As if on cue, Eren steps a couple feet forward and salutes to the entire army. Antonio cocks a brow in utter confusion. Actually, he wasn't sure if confusion was the right word.

"From the Trainee Corps, Eren Jaeger…"

The reaction from everyone was of course, rather expected. Many were perplexed, and fretful. Others were vexed, believing this to be some kind of mockery towards the soldiers. And there were some who didn't know what to think. They just gaped at the young man, Eren, like fish.

Antonio was overwrought to hear the rest of what Commander Pixis had to say, but he forced himself to listen a little further.

"He is the result of a top-secret project to turn humans into Titans. He can create and control a Titan's body. He will become a Titan, pick up the giant boulder by the shattered gate, carry it over and seal the wall. Your job will be to protect him from the Titans while he moves the boulder." Pixis finishes.

Antonio thought the plan was too straightforward.

"You're lying!" someone called out. Antonio recognized the panicked voice. Daz was starting again, making Antonio sigh. "I won't put my life on the line for a plan I can't even understand! What do you think we are? We aren't– We aren't pawns for you to sacrifice!"

As before, one young man begins a wild fire of protests and doubts. People shared their own thoughts with one another while a majority of them followed Daz's words, agreeing with him completely.

"A human weapon?"

"He's lying!"

"He thinks we're stupid!"

"He's telling us to die here today!"

"I'm leaving!"

A middle aged Garrison soldier begins walking through the crowd, evidently abandoning the mission. A couple trainees from Antonio's school also followed in his lead. When a few other eyes noticed this opportunity, they also left their positions. However, one soldier tried to stand his guard and keep the other soldiers in their place. Antonio remember him from before; Commander Kitts.

"Ready to die, traitors? I'll kill you right now!" the man said. At the same time, he drew out a blade from his maneuver gear.

The soldiers surrounding him backed away, including Antonio. He made sure both Krista and Ymir were behind him, preventing the wild commander from injuring them. The soldiers that were leaving came back to also draw out their weapons. _This is barbaric_, Antonio thought to himself. Were these trustful soldiers, who Antonio looked towards as great heroes, really going to start a massacre? _We're supposed to be fighting the Titans, not our own kind!_

Despite being up on the wall, there's a possibility that one man can hear and see everything. Commander Pixis must've noticed the uproar because his next words seemed to relieve many. "Here is my decision! I shall pardon anyone who deserts now. Once you succumb to the Titan's fear, you can never fight them again. Those who have learned that fear should leave."

The crowd took the commanders words seriously and turned their heels. Antonio gaped at what he was witnessing. Even Krista seemed stunned.

"Is he serious?" she asked.

"I– I guess so…" he said.

He was going to continue, but Commander Pixis cut him off with his booming voice.

"And anyone wishing their parents, siblings, and loved ones to feel that fear should also leave!"

A white silence was filled throughout the whole area. Antonio scanned his eyes on every person, seeing their expressions changes dramatically. He saw what Commander Pixis was trying to do. These people still cared after all.

"Let me tell you what happened four years ago, about our attempt to retake Wall Maria. As I'm sure you're all aware, the operation was no more than the government's way of dealing with its inability to feed all the unemployed. It was a culling. The reason why no one speaks of it is because by sending them outside these cramped walls, we were able to survive within them. All of humanity, including myself, bears the weight of that sin!"

Antonio couldn't agree more to the speech. He could recall his time spent with Annie at the refugees when they evacuated to Wall Rose. After the government announced the operation to take back Wall Maria, Annie told him it was a greedy excuse us humans could have done. He never understood what she meant by that, but spending the last couple years as a survivor, the pieces slowly began coming together. It was a sin, but it was also the human instinct for survival. However, he never wants anything like that to happen again. People were better than this. He knew they were.

-:-:-:-:-

"Because so few escaped Wall Maria there was never any open rebellion, but what about now? If Wall Rose falls, the sacrifice will be more than twenty percent. The territory within Wall Sina won't support even half the remaining population. If humanity falls, it won't be because we were eaten by the Titans, it will be because we killed each other. We must not die even deeper within the walls. I beg you, to die right here!"

Gage never expected the Commander to be very expressive about what happened four years ago, though, he was glad his suspicions were true. But, he could not afford to waste his time thinking about the past. Humanity was now on the line of extinction, he had to be ready to prevent that from happening.

It took a while for every person standing here today to digest the speech. The people on the wall looked more firm about the mission. Gage stood beside Gianne and Sereak while Mikasa was with Armin. They just graduated a couple days ago, inexperienced with the Titans and the military. Yet, all of them, including Eren, acted like they've been fighting this war their whole lives. He wondered if he also looked like them, because he could feel the same emotion racing through his body.

Soon, the Commander left his spot and called over a Garrison soldier, requesting three squad leaders whose names Gage could not hear. Armin left to go discuss a few more plans with the two other soldiers that were with Pixis before. Everyone was now preparing.

When Eren came towards the Gage and the others, Mikasa was the first to speak up.

"Eren, how are you feeling?"

"Fine." he said. His tone was dry.

"You don't have to do this if you know you can't handle it. We can find other solutions–"

His teal eyes flashed with rage as he snapped to her. "What are you talking about? This is the only solution we got!"

"I know!" she fought, "but you've already dealt with–"

"Mikasa." Gage interrupted hard. He knew that if she continued, Eren would just get even angrier. There was no time for his stubbornness. Her soft grey eyes travel towards his aquamarine ones. Gage witnessed the anxious and fear she held.

"Eren can manage. You don't have to worry."

It was that time, Gage could finally understand Mikasa. It was clear these two were quite similar when they had someone special they needed to protect. He could understand her loneliness when she wasn't needed, the attempts to get stronger just to prove herself, and the fear of losing the only family she had left. Yes, Gage just connected with Mikasa Ackerman. For a second, he thought he saw her look rather relieved.

"Look Mikasa, there's no point on stopping this mission, it's either do or die now. And if you ask me, I want Eren to actually succeed with this mission as much as everyone else." Sereak said.

"Yeah Mikasa, everyone is counting on me." Eren said.

"You don't have to carry the weight on your own…" Mikasa said.

"I have Gianne and her telepathic powers to help me with this."

"I'm just guiding you Eren, you're gonna have to do the lifting by yourself. But Acker– Mikasa," Gianne turned to the girl.

Everyone was shocked. For the first time, Gianne has actually called Mikasa Ackerman by her first name. Those two would only acknowledge each other by their last names, showing their sign of respect and also because they're not close enough–or civil enough–to call one another by their first names. This was a big step for Gianne. She really wanted to prove she was capable of doing the right thing. Though, Gage noticed how she restrained a disgusted look when she said Mikasa's name.

"I swear, as a soldier of humanity, I will help Eren no matter what. And I promise I'll protect him and keep him alive, even if it cost me my own."

Gianne went into her salute. Mikasa watched her closely. No one was able to read her emotion. However, she responded, rather lifelessly, but still respectful.

"T-Thin… t-t-ta-tank… thanks."

The two girls looked away, obviously embarrassed about what they've done. Even Eren, Gage, and Sereak felt extremely uncomfortable about what they've witnessed. Eren managed to save them from the awkward atmosphere after he spoke up to ask Gianne a question.

"Gianne, do you know how long you have your powers?"

Gianne came out of salute and was taken aback by the sudden questioning. "Honestly, no. This is the first time this has happened."

"Then how were you able to get inside my head?"

"I don't know. I just didn't want to die so I called for help. The last thing I remembered was getting shoved in your mouth and holding on to your tongue for dear life. However, you swallowed me and my mind went black."

Gage sent a dark look towards Eren, irate about what Gianne revealed. Eren, trying his best to ignore him, commented.

"There are two theories I have about this: it's either genetics or someone has gave you these powers, like what my father did."

"No and no. I was never born like this and if someone did do this to me, then I would've told my brother or both Gage and Sereak."

"This isn't normal though." Sereak said.

"Of course it's not! What other person has this kind of ability?" Gianne replied. "But for some reason, it felt natural. Like I've did it before… except, I can't recall a time doing it."

Right, she couldn't control the Titan before when Shiganshina was being invaded. However, it's not like Eren is any different from a normal Titan–besides having more common sense–making Gage wonder if Gianne would have the ability to control one. Gage watched her closely, suddenly remembering something.

"She always gets a migraine whenever a Titan is near."

"That happened before when Eren turned into a Titan to protect us from the cannon." Mikasa added.

"And when the Colossal Titan came to Trost today," Sereak said, her eyes slightly wide, realizing something. "And the time it came to Shiganshina which was four years ago. Gianne, do you know what this means?"

Gage watched Gianne think for a moment. It took her a few seconds for her own eyes to grow wide. She backed away a few inches, unable to believe the sudden reality. Gage couldn't believe it either, but he had to say it, or else, she won't.

"Gianne," he started. "I think you had this power for a very long time."

-:-:-:-:-

Antonio thought he would be an excellent decoy.

Standing around, doing nothing, and possibly get eaten by a Titan.

His group was rather small compared to the other ones. However, he was happy to know that Sylvia was with him. She, however, did not look too glad to be here at all.

"I can't believe we're doing this. Stupid Jaeger…" she muttered. Antonio did not know how to respond to her, knowing full well that if he said one thing, she might slash at him. If he was going to die, he'd rather die trying to talk to her.

Maybe this whole plan wasn't a waste after all.

Their squad decoy leader, Alexander Cobalt, spoke out. "As Commander Pixis has said before, our main job is to lure the Titans to the edge of the wall. As the chosen squad leader, I won't make any promises that either of you will be eaten by one. You're soldiers of humanity; you should know that by now. However, I will use all my capability to guide you on this mission. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Antonio wondered how the rest of his friends were. He knew Daedre was with Jean, Marco, and Connie, but what about Annie? Also, how were Eren, Gianne, and their friends as well? He hoped they were okay. Having more than one friend was actually nice.

"Stop with that stupid expression, you look like an ugly Titan." Sereak said.

Antonio snapped from his thoughts rapidly and looked at the girl. She was very tall, possibly a few inches away from his height. Her auburn hair was weaved in that same braid she wore all the time, little strands poking out of its tightness. Her playful eyes and smug countenance gave away her regular personality.

Antonio countered her attitude with a rather silly smile.

"I'm sorry if I'm not appealing like you Shelton."

For a moment, Sylvia's expression changed to slight embarrassment, until her normal one came back. She fought.

"Well aren't you charming, _Antonio_."

That caused him to freeze. Antonio wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or not, but before he could reply, their squad leader called out to the group.

"My group, move out! Get ready to enter the battle zone of Trost!"

-:-:-:-:-

It was time to go now.

Gianne and Eren would depart from their friends and go with the top Garrison soldiers; Ian Dietrich, Rico Brzenska, and Mitabi Jarnach. They would guide both Eren and Gianne during this mission and protect them if need be.

No one was taking it lightly.

"I should come with you." Gage said.

"You can't though." Gianne said, "You and Sereak are on the decoy squad, along with Mikasa and Armin. You need to help the other soldiers. Eren and I have our own mission to do. Besides, we'll be protected by the top Garrison soldiers."

Gage was stung by her blunt words, almost like she didn't care at all. He just wanted to aid her as much as he could, but she just said she didn't need him. How come it always came down to this between them? Gage has worked so hard to prove himself, just to keep being Gianne's helpless friend? He's had enough of being put down. He wasn't going to take this from her or anyone else.

Standing taller than before with more self-esteem built within him, Gage glared down at the short red-head, taking charge for the first time. Both Gianne and Sereak were astonished by their friend's new change of attitude.

"Gianne… I came in sixth for the Trainee Corps., I've managed to kill Titans today, I saw so many of our own die, I watched you get hacked out of Eren's stomach, and I almost witnessed you, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin _die_ during the cannon fire. From now on, I'm never going to let you out of my sight again. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Looking up to his height, Gianne just kept her gaze on him, realizing how tall he was, and how much he's grown. Gage stared back at her, forcing himself to keep still. His eyes were narrow and his mouth formed a stern line. Sereak looked between the two, wondering what they both were thinking.

"O-Okay…" Gianne said.

"Good." Gage said.

Gianne was the first to turn around, ending their intense staring contest. She traveled towards Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Mikasa was also trying to convince Eren to let her tag along. However, Eren's stubbornness got the best of him, as usually, and he snapped at her to back off. Gage felt relieved to know that Gianne was able to listen to him.

"I think you just frightened her." Sereak said.

This caught Gage off guard.

"_Eh_? I didn't mean to!"

"Oi! You kids!" a sudden man called out.

Both Gage and Sereak turned to meet Rikken Talicorn, who walked towards the two rather slowly. His welding goggles were still strapped to his head, looking like they've never come off ever. Rikken's face was rather sullen, as if he had a brawl with someone.

"Where's this so called _"special squad"_ I'm assigned to?"

"What do you mean?" Gage asked.

"The group that's assisting that Jaeger–Titan–whatever the hell he is… kid." he said.

"You were also chosen for that?"

"Yeah, it turns out we need a Titan expert with him and a Survey Corps member was just what they needed. Commander Pixis said it was sheer luck that I was around."

"Have you killed Titans before?" Sereak asked.

Rikken gave her a look, "Of course you brat, why do you think I'm still alive? However, I'm needed more for other reasons."

"What other reasons?"

Their conversation was cut short when Ian Dietrich called out to the group. Everyone's attention followed towards him as he called Mikasa's name. She was highly interested in what he needed.

"Ackerman, I want you in the elite squad. We could use your skill."

Mikasa's face lightened up. It's the first time Gage has seen her very content.

"Talicorn, you made it." Ian said. Rikken gave a nod. "Alright then, if everyone is ready, I believe we should start this operation now. Let's move out!"

The elite Garrison soldiers plus Eren and Mikasa moved in one direction. Before Gage and Gianne could follow, Gianne gave Sereak one last hug. The dark haired girl returned hers quickly before breaking away. Soon, Gianne, Gage, and Rikken ran after the elite squad.

"Listen up." Ian started. "I don't know what you are, but that's not important right now. What really matters is that we get you to the boulder so you can seal up the hole. Understood?"

"Right!" Eren said.

The group was a half mile away from their previous spot, aiming to reach for the boulder that rested a mile up a head. The three Garrison soldiers, Ian, Rico, and Mitabi were immensely focused on this assignment while Rikken carelessly tagged along. The group listened closely as Mikasa mothered Eren about his conditions, seeing how he was getting rather irritated by her constant worrying. Gage wondered if Eren really did appreciate the things Mikasa did for him.

"Hey you two, this isn't the time to play house." Rico said, running closer to the two.

"I-It's not like that." Eren replied.

"So you mean to tell me that we put the fate of humanity on to a stuck up brat like yourself. This better be worth it." Mitabi said.

Mikasa glowered at him.

"Enough everyone!" Ian said.

"Well this is dramatic…" Rikken muttered to Gianne and Gage. They both agreed silently. "Hey, red-head, you don't have to be so edgy about this."

Gianne turned to him, sweating a little. "I-I'm not… it's just the pressure, that's all."

"Yeah? Well, if it makes you feel any better, your job isn't has important as Jaeger's. You're just like the rest of us here, the assistance to the giant. However, your job isn't useless either."

"I guess so…"

"Rikken, why are you so carefree about this?" Gage asked.

"Honestly, I'm not. I'm actually pissing myself at the moment." he said, his tone dry. "But I'm a soldier of humanity, meaning that I'm allowing myself to die if it's the only way we have to succeed. Tell me, what branch do you both want to join if this operation does work out?"

"The Survey Corps." Gianne said, her hair getting tangled from the run.

"Same." Gage said.

"Then I want you two to promise me something if I die here today. I want you to remember these names. Hanji, Jane, Atlas, Petra, Steven, Levi, Mike, Erwin, I can keep going on but I don't have the time. Anyway, I want you two to promise me that you'll remember their names. They're comrades, trustful people, and they have lives. I respect them very much and they deserve more than what they're given. So please, tell them what I did here today if I don't make it."

"Understood, sir!" they both said.

-:-:-:-:-

Sereak followed Armin to the group of soldiers that were at the edge of the wall. When she noticed her classmates gathered around certain areas, she sighed with relief.

"Everyone is okay." she said.

"Poljor?" she heard her name. Turning around, she found Jean staring at her with wide eyes. She also did the same thing.

"You're still alive?" she asked.

"Oi! What the hell is that supposed to me?" Jean said, offended by her words.

"Nothing, never mind…" she said, "I'm just relieved some of you are still here."

"Everyone get ready!" a soldier cried out.

-:-:-:-:-

The elite squad gets closer to the boulder, about a few meters away from their destination. One by one, each soldier activates their 3D maneuver gear, soaring through the now desolated city. Rico lands on a nearby roof to shoot a green smoke. The mission has now begun.

Eren flies closer to the boulder.

Withdrawing his cables, he falls towards the earth.

With one bite of his hand, the boy explodes with sudden electricity, smoke surrounds the whole area, and Eren crushes a nearby house with his mass.

Gianne's familiar migraine hits her, but not as painful as before. However, her cringe made Gage worried a little. She reassured him with a confident smile.

Gianne, Gage, and Mikasa land on a close roof together, watching as Eren forms into the Titan he was before. Standing up and stepping out of the smoke, he was a full grown Titan. The young adults watch with amazement as he gives out a sudden roar. His whole body was producing smoke. His once teal eyes have now changed to glowing green ones.

From afar, Ian, Rico, Mitabi, and Rikken watch the scene.

"I don't know any technology that can move that boulder, but I have faith Eren can manage." Mikasa said.

"Of course he can. How's your head Gianne?" Gage asked.

A hand was on her head as she tried concentrating. "I'm fine. Though, I can't hear any of Eren's thoughts yet."

"Try harder–" Mikasa cut herself off. She turned towards Eren's Titan form, as did Gianne and Gage.

Eren was just standing there. His back was towards them, revealing the smoke still seething out of his body. The Titan was still for a very long time. He wasn't doing his job.

Suddenly, he turned around, looking at them.

Those glowing green eyes made Gage shudder. They felt like swords trying to go right through him.

"What's going on?" Gage asked.

"Eren? Gianne, do something." Mikasa said.

"Okay, hold on. Maybe if I–"

Gianne didn't have time to finish. When she heard Mikasa's gasp, the feel of Gage grabbing hold of her waist, and the booming sound of Eren's fist connecting with the roof they were on, Gianne knew one thing.

Eren was attacking them.

***Author's Note: OMG! BluePhoenix has finally updated! Am I right? Is that what you're all thinking?**

**So, long time no see huh?**

**Well, if you're so interest in where the hell I've been, let's just say I was helping my own friends with their fanfictions. See, my best buddies have come to realize that they can't live without me and my big imagination, and they've been using me to help them improve their stories on Wattpad. So I had to take a short (okay, extremely long) break from my own works to help improve theirs. Now, I have all the free time I want to continue this story.**

**Also a reason I left; if any of you read the manga to Attack on Titan, then you would possibly know how much of a disappointment it's becoming. No spoilers, but I hope Isayama knows where he's going with this amazing masterpiece. Also, like what Isayama did, I had to change the ending to Black Skies because of some things we find out in the manga. Yes, it's that insane.**

**But have no fear because this time (and I mean it) I won't abandon this story again. No, it's actually a really good story in my opinion and I met such great people to have it abandon. You are all patient saints and I would like to thank you for supporting this story and being very kind towards my disappearance. Though, I will say, since I'm changing the story a little (mostly after the battle for Trost), I am going to make this story a little darker.**

**Okay yes, Attack on Titan is already a pretty dark story but let me tell you, we have Game of Thrones.**

**Yes, I have read the Song of Fire and Ice and let me tell you, it was very inspirational. So here's what I plan to do, I plan to make this story much darker than I intended it to be so far. So yes, I will possibly have more death and yes I may kill of a couple characters and yes I may have surprising scenes and NO I intend to not write any sex scenes (unless you want me to you horny bastards).**

**Also, I'm hosting another casting call for a few more OCs. So… if you know anyone who wants to be a part of this story, please tell them about me. Or if you're an unlucky person who's reading this right now, your luck may change! Just PM me your OC and I promise you he or she will have a life in Black Skies. So, question of the day (chapter?) is…**

QUESTION #2: If any of the Black Skies OC characters had a life in the world of Fire and Ice, who would they be?

Gianne: A very annoying Stark girl

Gage: Also a Stark

Sereak: A Greyjoy

Daedre: A Martell

Antonio: A Martell as well

Sylvia: Possibly the dragon queen (Khaleesi!)

Conrad: A Baratheon

Rikken: A Lannister

**Until next time, I hope you guys have a great week!**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Butler: FlyBoy56**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**-Rikken Talicron: RagingKoopatroopa**

**-Phoenix **


	9. Communication

**BluePhoenix34 does not own Shingeki no Kyojin, the property and creation goes to Hajime Isayama. However, BluePhoenix34 does own Gianne Starken and all the characters unfamiliar to the SNK series. Now please, sit back and enjoy the long awaited chapter!**

**Chapter Nine: Communication**

"Hey, over here!" Antonio waved his arms around to get the Titan's attention.

The blonde headed creature turned towards the human on the rooftop. It attempted to pluck him from where he was, until blood squirted behind its neck. Before the body could fall, Alexander Cobalt landed by Antonio's side, the Titan's blood evaporating from his blades, face, and uniform.

"Good work Rodrigues. You make an excellent decoy." his squad leader commented.

"Thank you sir." he replied.

The two went off to aid the rest of their squad members. Sylvia was doing her best to get the Titan's to notice her while a couple soldiers slashed the nape of their necks. However, another Titan suddenly appeared from behind Sylvia. Before the two soldiers could call out to her, Antonio accelerated towards the monster in order to end his life. When he felt his blades cut through soft flesh, he had both his feet on the brick wall of a building, jumped towards Sylvia, and pushed her out of the way before the Titan body could squish her.

They both smashed into another building together, feeling the ground vibrate beneath them as the Titan fell. Their commander went towards them.

"Are you two alright?" Alexander asked.

"Peachy…" Sylvia answered, forcing herself off Antonio's body.

The boy, however, felt extreme pain in his right shoulder. Looking towards his arm, he held in the food that threatened to come right back up. It was deformed and a little crooked. He couldn't even feel the strength in it. Was it broken?

"Rodrigues, I think your arm is dislocated." Alexander said.

"What? No…" Antonio trailed. Now he couldn't activate his maneuver gear without his right arm. Both hands needed to operate. Would they have to carry him? He didn't expect anyone to do him that favor. However, before he could think this through, Alexander walked towards him, bent down, and grabbed him arm.

"Shelton, hold him down." he ordered Sylvia.

"What?" Antonio said.

Sylvia obeyed without question and held both Antonio's shoulders in place. He looked at her, scared about what was to come. She tried to comfort him.

"Cobalt is going to pop your arm back in place. Just look at me. I'm going to count to three."

"Okay."

"One… two…"

She was cut off by the sound of his scream of shock and the noise of bones.

-:-:-:-:-

The force of Eren's punch created a huge hole on the roof.

Both Mikasa and Gage barely managed to dodge the sudden attack. The two flew in different directions as wood, rubble, and other rooftop pieces constantly hit them. Gage kept his arm wrapped around Gianne's waist as he took her along with him. She was too distracted before to notice the attack, making Gage feel glad that he came along after all.

After their bodies smashed into a stone chimney, Gage rapidly hovered over Gianne's body solidly, preventing any objects from harming her. The sharp pieces stung his back. Bruises were going to be marked all over later. When it felt safe to move, Gage stood up and looked down at the horror-stricken girl, who was unable to remember what was going on.

Enraged, Gage clenched his teeth and turned to the Titan. He spotted Mikasa slowly recovering while looking up with a frail expression. She had a cut on her cheek, deep enough to form a scar. The Titan growled like an animal and lifted his left arm. Eren was aiming for a second punch on her.

"Eren, what the fuck!" Gage cried, drawing out his blades.

"No wait!" Mikasa said.

"Mikasa!"

"Don't touch him–" she sprinted away from the second punch, causing the rooftop to shake violently. Gage had to grab hold of Gianne before she fell off. If there was more damage done to the building, it was likely to collapse. Eren still had his eyes on Mikasa as she squirmed.

"Ackerman!" Ian shouted after her. "Get away from him!"

Ignoring her superior's orders, she used her cables to pull herself up, made her way right to Eren's face, and grabbed a thick strand of his bang. Holding onto his hair with one hand, her foot on his nose, Mikasa stared deeply into one of those burning green eyes. Gage was astonished by her brave actions.

"Idiot, do you want to die!" Rikken cried out.

"Eren, don't you recognize me? I'm Mikasa! I'm your family!" Mikasa starts.

"Gianne, use your powers now. Gianne?" Ian called.

Gage watched Gianne fall on her knees, still struck with complete horror. Gage tried to comfort her, but she was too traumatized to speak. They almost died again, and it was by Eren's doing. He was turning on them. What was going on though? Gage still stepped forward, his blades ready for any combat needed.

"Mikasa, get down!" he said.

"Listen to me!" she continued. "You must block the hole with that boulder!"

Rico shoots a red smoke, signaling the others that the mission has failed. Gage felt his eyes widen. It was over now, the plan was incomplete. Eren wasn't the solution to the problem. What will happen now? Eren was going to die. Gianne was going to be executed along with him. Wall Rose will get invaded like Wall Maria. _No_, he thought.

"Eren! Snapped out of it right now!" Gage cried to the Titan. "Eren! _Eren_!"

Ian shouts. "Ackerman, Butler, get away! Talicorn, attack it!"

Rikken slides down his wedging goggles, gracefully swipes out his blades, and activates his maneuver gear. He was prepared to do what he could to stop the human weapon. However, Mikasa's abrupt shout made him freeze in place before attempting to do any harm on Eren.

"No! I said don't touch him! Eren listen to me, you're human!"

The sharp creases on the Titan's horrifying face only grew deeper. He moved around his head, trying to remove Mikasa from his nose. Snapping back to reality, Gianne looked back at the scene. The Titan that almost crushed her and her friends now stood still once again. The eyes were still bright, like two green stars. Eren was acting like a normal class Titan. Was he controlling it or was his Titan controlling him? Smoke appeared from both the ends of its arm, regenerating hands. Gianne looked more closely at the body and noticed how its arms began twitching. Suddenly realizing what was to come, she pushed her self forward and tried to prevent it. Rikken noticed too.

"Eren, no–!"

"Dodge Ackerman!" Rikken shouted.

Mikasa instantly jumps off the nose as Eren throws his third punch at his own face. She flew back to the now mutilated rooftop and stood beside Gage, panicking for her brother. The Titan stumbled backwards from his hit, the force causing half his face to come off. Without warning, the giant fell to the ground and leaned on the side of the boulder, causing a small shock wave. After a few moments, the Titan did not move. Smoke was being produce in order to regenerate the lost parts of its body.

"Eren!" Gianne cried, worried for his state.

The rest of the elite squad members regrouped on the same rooftop and discussed the current situation.

"What's up with him? He's just a stupid Titan like all the rest! And you, Starken! Why didn't you do anything to prevent his attacks! I thought you could _handle_ him!" Mitabi shouts at her. Gianne felt a weight fall from her stomach. He was putting all the blame on her. Too stunned to reply, Gage pulled her behind him to glare back at the man.

"She didn't know he was going to attack us!"

"G-Gage, I–"

"Squad leader Ian!" a few meters away, a soldier called out to the elite group. Everyone turned to listen more closely. "Two approaching from behind; one ten meter and one six meter class! Another one's coming from behind; a twelve meter class!"

Everyone felt uneasy about what was approaching. Not only did they have to solve Eren's problem, but there were Titans that were still coming in. There were possibly some close by too. Was it really worth their lives to do this? Gianne looked back at Eren and tried her best to say something in her mind. _Eren, can you hear me? _She did not get a response. She tried again, and focused harder, but there was no reply. She was getting angrier with this. How did she do it before?

"So Squad Leader Ian, what are your orders for Jaeger?" Rikken asked. Both his arms crossed over his chest in a comfortable position. He was trying to stay calm in this nightmare.

Rico answered the question immediately.

"We've got no choice but to leave him here." she said. Mikasa gave her a strong glare, refusing to accept that decision. Gianne also gave her a look of disapproval. Gage was torn between choosing to go along with it, or continuing to aid Eren. Ian was deep in thought about the idea. Mitabi pressed forward with his loud voice, his face showing fear and trepidation.

"Hey, what're you waiting for? You're in command!"

Ian didn't answer.

"Ian, it's not your fault. Everyone knew that! It was worth giving it a try and we've already tried it with no success."

The Squad Leader still gave no response. Gianne was beginning to worry. Would he really desert a mission like that? _Eren answer me now! _No answer still. Mitabi continued.

"Listen, we're going up the wall."

The tall man starts to walk off while Rico follows closely behind. As Gianne and Gage watch him, Mikasa tenses with complete fury and attempts to attack them both. Her blades were raised high as she took a step forward. However, Ian draws out a hand, making her come into a sudden halt. Gianne was thankful for her Squad Leader's actions, or else Mikasa would have become reckless. Ian finally gives out his orders.

"Wait, calm down Ackerman… Rico, take down the twelve meter class that's coming from behind. Mitabi's squad and I will handle the two in front of us."

Both Rico and Mitabi stop and turn back to their Squad Leader. His orders made them gap and widen their eyes with rage. They couldn't believe Ian would still go along with the mission.

"What?" Rico said, unable to accept what she was just told.

"Starken," he turns to her. Startled for a second, Gianne gives him her full attention. "I want you to go down there and try to contact Eren as best as you can. You said you could manipulate him before, so try again. I want him up on his feet as soon as possible. Do you understand? The fate of humanity now rest on _your _shoulders."

Gianne felt like sandpaper was in her mouth. Ian just gave her an important task to do. As a sixteen year old girl, could she handle such pressure? This was supposed to be about Eren, she was just an assistant like everyone else. Now, she held the fate of humanity in her hands. She was unsure if she could lead them forward to victory.

"Starken, do you understand?" Ian repeated.

Though, she had to at least try. Eren did, and he's only fifteen. She can handle the stress. Giving a salute and trying her best to look determined, Gianne answered him.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Good, now get to work."

"Right!"

Gianne ran away from the group and activated her maneuver gear to get to the Titan body. Gage watched her land in front of it, beginning to use her telepathic powers. He watched for any Titans coming nearby, as well as Mikasa. Being on the ground was dangerous in this kind of event.

"Ian, what do you think you're doing?"

Ian gave Rico a hard look.

"I'm in command here, and I want you to be quiet and listen to my orders. We can't leave Jaeger defenseless, so we'll change our objectives. Until Jaeger can be retrieved, we'll protect him from the Titans. He represents a precious possibility for mankind. We can't just abandon him, unlike us, he can't be replaced."

"Hundreds have already died for that hulking failure of a human weapon! Now you want to recover him, just for us to go through all that again?" Rico shouted her outburst. Anyone would be able to see how furious and frightened she really was.

"That's right!" Ian said. "No matter how many of us die, we'll try again and _again_!"

Rico and Mitabi were both dumbfounded. Even Gage was surprised by his words. Ian was ready to sacrifice so many for one person. Was it even worth it? He respected Eren, but if he couldn't do his task than the blood will be on both his and Squad Leader Ian's.

"Ian, are you out of your mind?"

"How else can mankind win against Titans? Tell me Rico, what other way is there to get through this? How can we win against Titans without more people dying, while staying humans ourselves?"

Gage was getting frustrated with this conversation. There were people dying and no one wanted to cooperate. This was supposed to be a battle against Titans, not one another. In fact, he was more concerned about both Gianne and Eren's safety more than what his superiors were saying. He was about to say something, until a hand swiftly came over his mouth.

Rikken gave him a look when he withdrew his hand back. His eyes read; _Don't they'll figure this out_. He was right. Gage just realized he was going to interrupt his superiors. A trainee has no place to talk back to the elites. He has no say in the orders they give. His only job was to follow through. He just listened to Ian.

"That's why this is all we have left. For that messed-up human weapon's sake, we must risk our lives and give it our all. Isn't it pitiful? That's all we can do as humans. So what will you do? This is the only way we can fight. This is as much struggle as we can manage."

Rico and Mitabi were silent, and averted their eyes to any direction. Rikken watched them both closely, wondering how these Garrison soldiers will react. They were still reluctant about his words, but they both knew he was right. Sighing heavily, Rico spoke first.

"I can't accept that." she turns to walk away. Ian was crossed with her attitude.

"Rico!"

Rico stops, "I will follow the plan. I think what you're saying is right. But while I struggle, I'll show them just how frightful humans can be. I refuse to die a dog's death. Leave the twelve meter class for me and my men."

With that, she takes her leave. Mitabi starts to walk off as well.

"Let's go. The two ahead of us are ours." he says to Ian.

"I'll be there in a second. Talicorn," Ian turns to him. "I want you to head in Rico's direction as back up. Butler, your job is to aid him."

"S-Sir," Gage stuttered. "With all due respect, I think my place should be here with Eren and Gianne."

"No, that will be Ackerman's job. She will protect them both. You are not going to disobey an order, is that clear cadet?"

Gage apprehensively nodded, upset that he won't be there for Gianne. He trusted Mikasa, but he wanted to contribute with protecting them. Ian seemed to notice this.

"Boy, there's no time for that. Your only focus right now is to kill as many Titans as you can. Think about humanity first, put your faith into us, and trust that we'll take care of your lover."

Gage felt his face flush deeply; Mikasa and Rikken both witnessed this. Gage kept silent, feeling his tongue get tied in knots.

"Okay boy, let's move out." Rikken said, preparing to transport. His goggles were still covering his eyes. He looked so much different now. More battle ready than before.

"R-Right…" Gage said.

The two finally left, leaving both Mikasa and Ian alone.

"Thank you Squad Leader Ian." she said.

"Ackerman, you shouldn't thank me. I almost shit myself because I had no clue what you were about to do. Move ahead on your own to perform the original plan. Your abilities are best utilized that way."

"Yes, sir."

"Protect your lover too."

Just like Gage, Mikasa looks down in embarrassment with her cheeks blushed. Before she could correct him, Ian ran off after Mitabi. Recovering, she turns towards Eren and Gianne. The Titan body was still smoking. His wounds were not regenerating, making her worry. Gianne was also trying her best to work her powers, but it looked like she kept failing.

_Please Gianne, please help him…_

-:-:-:-:-

"Sereak, don't engage, just lead them in this direction!" Jean said.

Sereak ran beside him, so he must've seen the look she had on. She saw a couple Garrison soldiers get devoured by two twelve-meter class, and the memory of her parents suddenly came into her mind. A wrathful look was plastered on her face and she attempted to turn around to fight. Jean, however, somehow managed to stop her. She gave him a hard look.

"I know." she said. The two of them plus Annie, Daedre, and Connie continued to sprint northwest of Trost. The higher soldiers wanted the decoy squad to lure the Titans–the ones further into the city–to the edge of the Wall in order to keep them away from Eren. A couple where a few meters away from them, walking with interested expressions. The rest of their squad members were eaten along the way.

"Looks like it's just us now." Annie said.

"Yeah, we should make our way back!" Connie said.

"No! We have to make sure they _all _notice us. We can't let them focus on Eren!" Daedre said, falling off slightly.

Connie moved to his side. "But if we stay here any longer, we'll surely die any second!"

"Then run faster! Just don't abort yet!"

"He's right. Our enemy has to follow us. That's our mission after all." Sereak said.

After a while, the roaming Titans began to take interest in the group. When more began to follow, it suddenly became life or death for everyone. A smaller Titan appeared from an alley to grab Connie. The shocked boy, using his agility, swiftly jumped between the fingers and activated his maneuver gear. However, the hooks bounced off the stone building he aimed at. Petrified, the Titan came behind Connie once again.

Unknown with the situation, Annie and Daedre flew through the buildings to reach the Wall.

Sereak, who noticed Connie, ran back to aid him. Before the Titan could reach him, a cord flew to its head. Both Sereak and Connie looked in the back to see Jean shoot his hooks to get the monsters attention. The Titan turned towards him while the cables withdrew into their machinery.

"Jean!" Connie cried, fearing for his friend. Sereak even looked worried.

"Go! I'll take care of it." he said.

"Jean–"

"I said _go_!" Jean cut Sereak off.

Obeying his commands, the two activated their transports and glided through the city. Sereak kept a close eye on Connie in hopes he would not fall behind. When they lifted their bodies up to the top of the Wall, they both looked back to see if Jean was coming. However, his presence was not amongst them. Sereak looked below and frantically searched for his body. Soon, she found him running down an alley with a Titan hot on his heels. Everyone else noticed his too.

"Jean!" she cried. She attempted to fly back down but Daedre and Connie held her back. She thrashed in their hold. "Let go!"

"No! He's too far away to be saved!" Daedre said.

"We have to have faith that he'll be okay!" Connie said.

"His maneuver gear is broken! There is no possible way he'll be okay. I need to help him!" she said, her fangs bearing towards her comrades.

"Just give him a few minutes." Annie said. Sereak turned to her. "If he's still in need of aid, then we can all go down together."

Sereak never really enjoyed Annie's company, not after what happened with Gianne five years ago. During their training years, she met the blonde girl again, and the two kept their distances. They had their own friends and their own business, never speaking to one another or giving a single glance. This was the first time Annie has spoken to her and Sereak felt strange about her words. Though, the blonde girl was right.

It took a minute for Sereak to calm down and agree to her plan.

-:-:-:-:-

Gianne stared blankly at the smoking Titan before her. She couldn't figure out what she was doing or why she was here. She kept repeating the same word over and over again.

_Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren…_

How was it possible for her to manipulate him before? It felt like she was trying to communicate with a dog. The world around her was turning red. Every building she saw was on fire. Even the crows cackled at her attempt, mocking her as she continuously failed every minute. Though, she wasn't sure if this was real or her mind playing with her. Ian wanted her to do one thing, and she was stuck trying to make it happen. The soldiers that defended Eren and her from the Titans were rapidly getting eaten. One by one, blood would rain out between a Titan's teeth, adding a great weight on top of her shoulders. The guilt made her scream with rage.

"_Fuck!_"

She swung her right leg, assaulting the fallen Titan with all her strength. Since a Titan's skin is light and soft, the kick gave her no pain in return. Gianne's first attack made her pound on the Titan's leg with her two fists repeatedly.

"Eren, get up right now! I know you can hear me! Stop playing dead!"

Her voice was heard throughout the whole area. Her face was red with utter fury and sweat from anxiety. Her golden eyes burned brightly like the flame above waxed candles. She kept up her tantrum, hoping that it would finally get Eren's attention.

"I said wake up _now_! Are you seriously going to abandon this mission when you said you could do it? When you said you'd try no matter what it took? You pathetic boy! _How dare you call yourself a soldier of humanity?_"

Even her outburst could not stir the Titan body. Its glowing green eyes were still gazing at the floor, never giving any effort to avert his monstrous face to her. Gianne finally stopped, tears spilling from the edge of her eyes. She felt them river down both sides of her face, hot with boiling emotions. She laid her body on top of the callous leg, her gaze facing the floor, watching as her tears it the ground. Her eyes closed tightly as she sobbed. _What am I even doing_, _I'm completely useless_, she thought. She cried harder.

-:-:-:-:-

Gage followed Rikken's lead and helped him slay a good amount of Titans. Rico's squad was decreasing. A new soldier was getting eaten each minute. There were just too many coming into Trost.

The four remaining soldiers watched as their next man was getting ripped apart by another Titan. In Gage's eyes, it looked like meat he once at during his years as a trainee. He wondered if he would ever eat meat the same way again.

"Squad Leader Rico, it's just us now." a woman in Rico's squad cried.

Rico cringed at the sight, fury burning in her eyes as she just watched her comrade's death. It was so horrifying, but it did not make Rikken look disgusted. He's seen worse. Rico turned to him, ready to slash her blades through his body at any minute.

"_You!_ Why aren't you doing anything!" she screamed at him. The man just glared back at her.

"I'm not God, I can't save everyone!"

"I thought you were a genius at killing Titans!"

"I thought you could manage _saving your own_ comrades!"

"Enough! We have to move forward. We have to focus on Ian's orders." Gage cried. Before they both can lash at him, he went off to kill more Titans with the few remaining blades he had left.

_This better be worth it._

-:-:-:-:-

The world was mute.

Every sound of screams, footfalls, and cries slowly decreased into nothing. The hell Gianne was in seemed more comforting as she lay on the Titan leg. She wondered how long she was in this position. Was it seconds, or minutes, or hours? It did not seem to bother her at all. She was in her state of peace. Nothing was going to disturb her tranquility.

_Eren… Eren… Eren…_

She kept repeating that word in her head again. If she was going to die soon, she'd rather die trying. It would be a shame to give up quickly.

_Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren…_

The more she said his name, the higher chance she might turn obsessive like Mikasa. His older sister would murderer her for seeing how she was. She would not suspect any effort from Gianne, and hate her for the rest of her life, unless Gage saved her, like what he would normally do, or Sereak, because she always finds a way to get her out of trouble. Her two best friends would always be by her side. She wished she could spend more time with them.

_Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren… _

There was still no response.

_Eren… Eren…_

No words were heard from his head.

_Eren… Eren… Eren… Eren…_

_What… what… w–… what am I…_

Her eyes widened slightly when she finally heard something. Was that her voice? No, it sounded different from hers. The voice was very manlike and discombobulated, like it didn't know who it was. This was Eren's voice. Gianne would finally hear his voice. She froze in place when she heard him continue in her head.

_What am I doing? Am I… sitting…?_

"Gianne! Gianne!"

The sudden calls of her name caused her to spring upward and shiver from anxiety. Gianne rested her hands on the Titan leg to keep steady as she averted her head left to right. Someone was calling out to her, but who? Did Mikasa come back or Gage, or maybe Ian or Rico or Mitabi? No, it was neither of them. The one who flew in her direction and land on the roof beside the boulder was none other than her intelligent comrade.

"Armin!"

"Gianne!" he said, looking down on the two. Unexpected, he uses his maneuver gear to travel down on the back on the Titan. Gianne was frightened for his life. "What happened to Eren? What happened to the plan?"

Gianne had to wake herself up a little more; unable to comprehend if this was real or not. She slapped her self, shook her body, and made herself watch a Garrison soldier get torn in half by the hands of a normal class. When she felt her blood boiling once again, she turned back to Armin, giving him his answers.

"Eren couldn't control his Titan, it started to attack Mikasa, Gage, and I. He attacked himself and went immobile for the rest of the time. Mikasa tried talking to it, but failed. I wasn't able to communicate with him until now, but for some reason, I lost the connection. Get away from him, or you'll get killed!"

"What about the plan?" Armin asked.

"It failed Armin, but I'm trying all I can to wake him up. We can't leave Eren behind, so everyone's fighting, except, too many Titans are coming in!"

Armin had a hard look upon his face. Gianne knew he had that look on when he was deep in thought. Was he thinking of another plan to save them? He did it before, but what other ideas did he have up his sleeves? Before Gianne could ask, Armin shot his hoots on both shoulder blades and drew out a blade. She felt her blood go cold as ice.

"Armin, don't kill him!" Gianne stepped forward, drawing out her own. Armin tried to reason with her.

"No. I-I'm… I'm going to help you communicate with him better, and then, maybe, we could get him out of here."

"What! Armin, there's no possible way you could do that! Eren is just stuck inside that body, he can't hear anyone. Only I can talk to him through telekinesis." Gianne said.

"Gianne, I need you to go above ground-level!"

"What, why?"

"Gianne, I've known you for three years now and I've used all my ability to get both you and Eren out of trouble. Do you trust me?"

Gianne thought about this. She remembered their Trainee Corps years and the times she would have a quarrel with some of the cadets. With Eren by her side, they would both get into trouble with Jean and a couple other people, so Mikasa, Gage, or Sereak had to jump in and save them. However, when their protective friends weren't there, it was always Armin who would manage to compromise in those situations. Whenever things got violent, he would always think of a solution to make it civil. Gianne remembered how Armin stood up for her the first time. She never met or had a care for him, but his kindness showed his selflessness towards others. He could've ignored her like Mikasa, but he didn't. So did she trust him?

"Of course I do!" Gianne said.

"Then go!"

Reluctantly, Gianne turned the other way and lifted herself up on top of the roof she was on before. She watched Armin cautiously, ready to spring in at any moment if his plans went negative. He knelt down on the nape of the neck, the tip of the blade brushing the skin. Gianne restrained herself from jumping in.

"Eren came out from the Titan's weak point. This has to be related from the mystery of the Titan's true nature. I'll be fine. As long as I avoid the middle, it won't be harmful. It's going to hurt a little bit…"

Armin lifted the blade up, preparing for the next step. Gianne wouldn't help herself when she called his name in a panic.

"Armin wait–"

The blade dropped and pierced through the nape of the neck, making blood well out.

Within a second, the Titan throws a huge uproar.

The body flails around violently while its screams fill the entire area in an ear-piercing volume. Armin, holding on to his hilt desperately, falls to his belly, moving side by side as the Titan continued. Gianne covered her own ears and closed her eyes tightly. For some reason, the pain in her head came back, this time, more painful than before. Her shrieks of agony mixed with the Titan's holler. The whole world shook vigorously from their pain. Gianne had to think of something to calm her down. Friends, family, missions, and honor, she tried to distract her mind. She needed a time of peace like from before. She had to stay calm in order to connect with Eren. Her brain pounded against her skull, begging for something. What though?

She thought of anything that would be able to make her happy. When she thought of Gage and Sereak, her pain slowly swelled down. She thought of her other friends. Her mind was coming back to normal. She thought of this mission becoming successful. Those calm thoughts made her bring her hands down. The pain had finally vanished, and so did the Titan's bellowing.

Gianne finally opened her eyes.

She was looking at a younger version of Eren.

-:-:-:-:-

Sereak spotted Jean once again.

He was coming out of a deserted home when the Titan before strolled away. She watched him carefully as he ran towards some huge building piece. From a far, she caught the sight of legs sticking out, bearing an unharmed maneuver gear. Jean began tugging at the machinery.

"Oh god, his maneuver gear is broken!" Connie cried.

"Oi, what's going on?" Marco said, walking up to the group. Sereak, Connie, Annie, and Daedre turned to him with tense looks. When the perplexed Marco looked in their direction, his eyes widened as well.

"Is that Jean?"

"Yes. His gear is broken." Daedre said.

Sereak and the others kept staring down on Jean, like hawks watching their victims every move. Sereak had the urge to fly down there and pick him up, but she knew that would hurt his pride. Though, a squeak escaped her throat when a smaller Titan started to walk up behind him. After Connie screamed his name, she sprung forward and raced in that direction. Not too long, the others were closely behind.

"Jean!" she screamed.

Jean, unaware of the rescue, turned around and finally saw the Titan. He still did not succeed in taking off the maneuver gear, but he couldn't just leave it. However, Jean was too petrified to even decide what to do next. The Titan lifted up its hand, attempting to snatch the young man off the ground, when an unforeseen figure distracted it. Jean watched as Marco glided from right to left, gaining the attention of the giant. Dumbfounded by the rescue, Jean called out to his friend.

"Marco!"

"Jean, get away!" he cried back, running in the other direction.

Absentmindedly following his orders, Jean ran the opposite way, only to be greeted by Daedre who stood on top of a roof.

"This way Jean!" he said.

Daedre activated his maneuver gear and flew off; hoping Jean would follow right behind. Jean jumped and shot his grapple hooks towards two buildings. When he flew, something was wrong. The gear's cables loosened, causing Jean to fall back down. Landing on the road, he moaned and checked his trigger.

"What the hell, why is the trigger so hard to pull?"

Hearing the sound of footfalls, Jean pushed himself up to be greeted by another Titan. The creature had a rather stupid expression on as it reached out to him. Bracing himself, Jean heard his name again and battle cries. The hissing sounds of cables were filled and Connie came after the Titan strongly. However, his attempt to slay the giant ended in an unexpected way when his body slammed on to the large head. Quickly pulling away, Connie flew to a roof while the Titan checked its head, looking utterly dumbfounded. Jean also felt the same feeling.

"What the hell was that?" he screamed at his dimwitted comrade.

"Shut up, I'm trying to save you! Jean, look out!" Connie cried.

The Titan, recovering from his distraction, looked back at Jean. It once again attempted to reach for him, until a sudden blur slashed at the neck. Stunned, Jean moved away rapidly as the Titan fell forward, barely reaching his feet when it landed on the ground. Sereak landed on the back of the smoking body, making Jean admire her a little.

"What are you waiting for? Go, now!" she yelled at him.

Both Sereak and Jean activated their maneuver gears and followed Connie back to the Wall. Jean was still having difficulties operating his transport properly, hitting a couple chimneys and sliding across some rooftops along the way. Both Sereak and Connie kept a close eye on their friend, making sure he wasn't falling behind. A couple Titans attempted to reach out for them, but they were swifter and could easily dodge. The three finally managed to make it to the Wall, but Jean had to put more effort into climbing the massive height. Landing smoothly, the three met up with Daedre, Annie, and Marco. Jean screamed at everyone for their aid.

"What's wrong with you guys? You all could've been killed!"

"You're welcome!" Connie fought back.

"Yeah, we just saved your ass, so show a little more gratitude." Daedre said.

Sereak couldn't stand up right anymore. She lay down on her back and began breathing heavily. So much as happened and she managed to survive through all of it. She needed a break to regain her energy. Marco noticed this.

"Are you okay Sereak?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just… need a few… minutes…" she said, panting through her words.

"Don't we all?" Daedre said.

Jean went by her side, looking down on her face. She stared back at him, like a confused animal. What did he want now? She wasn't in the mood to deal with his crap. She already hated the guy she didn't have to hate him anymore. They would constantly bicker to one another, hate each other's guts, and wish the other person was dead. That was how their relationship was. However, his words seemed to touch her and rethink her hatred towards him.

"Thank you for saving me, Sereak."

***Author's Note: Shut up, I know it's smaller than the other chapters. Though, I think I may continue doing this with future chapters. I feel like if I make them around 3,000 to 5,000 words, I'll be able to update more quickly. And I know how much you guys want me to update, so I'm sorry if I talk too long.:P**

**Also, next chapter, five new OCs are entering the story, so be on the look out! I'll introduce them in the beginning of the chapter. I'm so excited to write them out! I think their characters are going to contribute a lot to the story.**

**So I like to thank…**

**-GroundZeroFirework**

**-HurricaneStorblade **

**-Hilinarema**

**-djpiggy**

…**for submitting their characters, since they will be in the story for a while. I look forward to writing about you!**

**On another side note, I may start a new fanfiction similar to this since EVERYONE has been PMing to do one! From I Am Number Four to Hunger Games to some animes like One Piece and Tokyo Ghoul. I never expected to be this popular. I guess some people have faith in me. Though, I will say that when I start this fanfiction, it will be more of a side focus. I will put all my heart and soul into Black Skies no matter what! **

**The new fanfic will be a Pokémon story, since it's a little easier to write. I also feel like it will help me better with writing and adding some spotlight to other characters besides some of the main ones. Well, let's see how it works out.**

QUESTION #3: If the Black Skies characters each had one starter Pokémon, what would they be?

Gianne: Torchic

Gage: Mudkip

Sereak: Oshawott

Daedre: Chimchar

Antonio: Cyndaquil

Sylvia: Fennekin

Conrad: Charmander

Rikken: Treeko

**Until next time, I hope you guys have a great week!**

**-Gianne Starken: BluePhoenix34**

**-Gage Butler: FlyBoy56**

**-Sereak Poljor: Jauntues Tigerwolf**

**-Daedre Moche: Pixpi**

**-Sylvia Shelton: RoseTyler10**

**-Antonio Rodrigues: crankiestnebula**

**-Conrad Gorman: Shrapnel893 **

**-Rikken Talicron: RagingKoopatroopa**

**-Phoenix **


	10. Black Skies Bloopers

**Chapter 10: Black Skies Bloopers **

**(Chapter One)**

Once, Wet and Smoke were immensely drunk and decided to interrupt Gianne and her friends when they were having lunch together. It wasn't anything vulgar but their actions ticked Gianne off greatly. They both violated their personal space and even snuck some food away without the children's knowing. Gianne complained how they were horrible inspirations and predicated that they would die from alcohol poisoning. Wet only laughed it off and offered an angry Gage a beer. When he slapped it away and spilled the liquid on the concrete, Wet tried to punch him for his behavior but missed. That set Gianne off.

Tripping him and Smoke by her foot, she began beating on the two with her feet, hands, and a stick she found suddenly. It took both Sereak and Gage to pull the red-head off Wet as she repeatedly kicked his fallen body everywhere. Both men tried to stand and defend themselves, but Gianne would just push them right down again. Gage had to lock his arms under her armpits to drag her away from them before things got any messier. However, Gianne managed to dig her right heel into Smokes left eye before they left. The next day, the three saw the two again and they were unable to recall the physical abuse, but Smoke's left eye was swollen and black. Gianne felt proud to leave that mark there.

"Yes! Victory is mine!" Gianne cried victoriously while throwing her hands in the air. Her two friends just stared at her with wide eyes, unable to accept what they witnessed.

"Ugh Gianne... You just knock out two full grown men..." Gage pointed.

She looked at him nonchalantly. "So?"

"So... Are you on steroids or something?"

"If so, can Gage have some so he can actually do something for once?" Sereak said.

"Huh?!"

**(Chapter Two)**

"Antonio," Annie called to her friend. "Give me my bread."

"Why?" he questioned with a puzzled tone.

"Just give it to me now." she demanded.

"Get off!" Gianne continued. "Get off now! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you! I'll destroy the Titans and these walls! I'll kill you! I'll-"

A loaf of bread was shoved in her mouth deeply, silencing her outburst and freezing her body. Gianne couldn't bite or spit it out, she just gaged from the mouthful. It didn't even taste that good. Annie looked calmer than how she did before after bending her face down towards the red-head. Her hard grey eyes bored into teary golden ones. She spoke.

"Are you done?"

Gianne gave her a black glare. "Mmmhmmmmmhmm!" she moaned through the mouthful.

Antonio focused the fight intently. He watched Annie slightly move around on top of Gianne, the way their faces were close, the bread that was deeply dug into Gianne's mouth, the way they glared at each other.

Why was he sweating right now? Why was his head feeling dizzy?

"Why is your nose bleeding?!" Gage exclaimed to Antonio.

Antonio wiped the drip he felt from his nostrils and saw a pool of red getting absorbed into his fabric. The moment Sereak came to break up the fight, he turned and walked away, leaving a questioning Gage behind.

"I need to be alone for thirty minutes." he said without looking back.

**(Chapter Three)**

"Great, the Instructor wants me to baby sit a fat-ass? Probably too lazy to do it himself…"

The girl was tall, a few inches away from Gage's height. She had an olive complex, dark auburn hair that was weaved in a side braid, and long legs. Her expression was rather blank, but Gage could see how impatient she was by looking at her grey eyes. Watching her closely, her slender arms folded across her chest and she sighed.

"Is this girl part horse or something? When is she going to die already?"

"Sylvia!" Mina, a girl with black hair, cried to her. Sylvia just shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"It's a joke. Learn to take one." She began walking away and waving back to the group. "Later losers, I'm not wasting my time anymore."

"Sylvia wait! Watch out for that rock!" Mina cried.

"Huh?"

Sylvia abruptly hit her foot against something hard, making her lose her balance and gracelessly fall forward, slamming her face against the ground with a loud crack mixing with the silent air. Everyone jumped with surprise.

"Are you okay?" Eren asked with a worried tone.

No response came from the body. It just laid there, not moving at all. The others paled.

"I think she's... Dead..." Connie said.

"Quick! Bring in the next OC!" Gage shouted.

**(Chapter Four)**

"How's your back feeling?" Daedre asked Gage.

"Oh! It's fine." Gage said, chuckling a little. "It's just a little sore."

"Aren't we all sore from this?" Sylvia spoke up, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. "I mean, come on, this isn't exactly Heaven."

"Of course not, but it's definitely making me a little more muscular than before." Daedre said. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to show off his bicep. It wasn't as big as Gage's, but it was pretty noticeable. "I should get a tattoo. Wouldn't that make me look tougher?"

"It'll make you look less girly." Sereak said out loud.

"Sereak has two tattoos on her back!" Gianne cried out. "Before we came here, she got them from a tattoo parlor."

"Of what?" Sylvia asked her.

"A wolf and a bear."

"I'm not surprised…" she muttered to herself. Sereak heard her and gave her a look.

"Wait a minute, how is that possible?" Sylvia questioned, looking up.

"How is what possible?" Sereak said.

"Your tattoos? How could you have possibly obtained them? Don't we live in, like, the Renaissance or Middle Ages? When could we permanently put ink in our skin?"

"Just go with it, no one's gonna care. What are you, CinemaSins now?" Daedre said, clearly breaking the fourth wall.

Sylvia kept going. "Also, why are you here?" she pointed to Daedre.

"What do you mean?"

"Your Hindu, right? And so far, we've only come across Germans, Italians, and Jews. How did your ethnicity pop out of nowhere? And you." she pointed to Gianne who looked back at her.

"Me?"

"Yeah you, I got pissed in chapters one and two when you didn't die from blood loss. So unrealistic! And the fact that Wet magical appeared to save you, it's Wet Ex Machina now isn't it."

"Sylvia, you're not funny…"

**(Chapters Five)**

Sylvia just rolled her eyes and muttered, "What a fucking crybaby…"

"Sylvia never liked Eren that much." Gage said. "She thought his attitude was such a bother."

"Does she like anyone at all?" Antonio asked. Gage was baffled by his question.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, does she have an eye for someone? Or is she looking for someone?" he asked again, sounding a little too curious. It took Gage a second to understand where he was coming from. The realization caused him to sigh with annoyance.

"Are you serious man?"

"Hey, I can't help what I like." Antonio shrugged.

"What are you too talking about?" Gianne asked, puzzled by their conversation.

"Antonio has an eye for Sylvia." Gage said.

"What do you mean, he has an_ eye_? Explain that to me." she said sternly.

"Okay sweetie." Antonio ruffled her hair and smiled. "Basically, having an eye for someone means having a great liking towards them. That you want to be by there side for a long time, enjoy their company, and do physical stuff like kiss." Antonio smirked evilly. "I know Gage feels that way towards you."

It took Gage a second to realize what Antonio said, before he turned dark red. "W-W-W-What?!" he stuttered.

Antonio began to yell. "I know Daedre wants to kiss Eren! Watch out for some competition Mikasa!"

Daedre spat out his drink and accidentally sprayed Sylvia. The boy looked horrified at what Antonio said while the girl looked disgusted. **(*Author's Note: Mikasa left to find Eren so thank god she did hear that. Or else Antonio would die sooner than I expected)**

Antonio continued. "I know BluePhoenix is shipping Sereak and Jean together! I mean, look at the way they feed each other!"

"Mhmmmmmm!?" Jean screamed through his mouthful of bread. Sereak averted her head towards the sky, attempting to glare darkly at the writer who was making this happen.

"And finally, Hope Strong has a HUGE woman boner for Levi!" Antonio finished.

"Who's Hope Strong?"

-Meanwhile thousands of miles away-

Discussing her future plans with her squad, Hope Strong felt utterly embarrassed and angry suddenly. One of her members seemed to notice.

"Are you okay?" Steven Crawford asked.

She nodded, her pink cheeks quickly disappearing. "Ugh, yeah, but I feel weird."

"How so Captain?" Danika Horton questioned. Even Clara Walker had a rather worried expression.

"Um," Hope began. "I honestly don't know why, but I think I have to kill some important main character very soon."

"Huh?"

***Author's Note: DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME! I'M SORRY! I did not mean to abandon you guys for a LONG time! Honest! I've just been super busy as a senior in high school and had to deal with a lot of personal stuff in the real world. I won't say what it is, but please know that after all this time I've grown to really miss FanFiction and want to get back into it again. It's a stress reliever and I love writing about everyone. I'll try to keep my commitment to this piece as long as I can, but please remember, I have other obligations outside of the web. I'm going to college with a Creative Writing major because I want to hopefully become an author or teacher. Though, I'm kinda rusty with Black Skies because I haven't written anything yet, so this chapter was more of a test run with me. So I'm sorry if this chapter was pretty stupid, but I wanted to prove to you guys that I was still alive (and hopefully get some cackles out of you).**

**I don't know when the next chapter will come out, but please be patient with me. I'll try to get it up around the beginning of March because I plan on making it big and long. Thank you to all the people who have supported me and sent me worried messages, I'm sorry if I was unable to reply to those, but I promise I won't make that mistake again.**

**Also, if any of you are reading, I'm sorry if the Pokemon story didn't happen but I plan to also get back into it again because I feel like I need two stories to work on if I want to stay on FanFiction. So, I might need new OCs so I can start fresh, but that can happen next month too possibly. Or next week whenever I have the time.**

**Thank you guys so much again for understanding and I hope you have a marvelous day!**

**-BluePhoenix **


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